If you are working on STRAIN, COPELAND or BURNSWORTH/BRUNSWORTH in Vernon Co., please contact me. I am looking for any and all info on: Joseph Marion STRAIN (1844-1893/1902), son of James Harvey STRAIN & Lydia ARISMAN. Married Sarah COPELAND 1869. Joseph is a transplant from Montgomery Co., MO. Joseph COPELAND and family, father of Sarah (above). He's a transplant from Maries Co., MO. Lydia BURNSWORTH. (guesstimate b. 1870). Married and divorced James Joseph Henry STRAIN. I forget the name of her father. I am incredibly interested in finding out about the child (and any descendants) James and Lydia had before the divorce. This would be a 1/2 great aunt of mine. David Strain ddstrain@aol.com

I am stuck at a brick wall with respect to my great-grandfather John Edward Brown, and I hope that some census data may be able to give me some clues for getting past it. I have not been able to find Vernon County census data online. Can anyone recommend where I can find Vernon County census data in books (I'll eventually go to microfilm if I have to do it that way, but it gives me headaches and I'd rather read from a book, especially if I have to spend hours going through unindexed pages looking for the names). Either transcriptions or copies of the original pages will make me happy. I'm especially interested in years 1880 and 1900. Is there a library in Vernon County (or elsewhere in Missouri) that would have this census information in book form? I'm in Rolla, several hours from Vernon County, and I would be willing to drive down there to look at the books - I just don't want to waste the trip if there are no books available, because I can get the microfilm locally if it comes to that. Would these records be available in book form somewhere else, such as Jeff City? Or, if some kind soul has access to this info and is willing to do a lookup for me, that would be wonderful. Here is the info I am looking for: My great-grandfather John Edward Brown was born 15 July 1885 in Nevada, MO (Vernon County). He moved to south central Oklahoma around 1900, to the city of Ardmore. He died 10 March 1981 in Rotan, TX, and is buried in Ardmore, OK. His parents were Wilson S. Brown and Catherine (Miller) Brown. I have no other information about them. I would like to know if Wilson S. Brown and Catherine (Miller) Brown show up in the 1880 census for Vernon County. If there is any reasonable substitute for an 1890 census for this area, I'd like to know if John Edward Brown or his parents show up on it. I'd like to know if John Edward Brown or his parents show up in the 1900 census for Vernon County. I suppose his parents might also have been there in 1870, or maybe still around in 1910 or 1920 - I don't know anything about when or where they were born or died or buried. Thank you very much for any help or advice you can give. Chuck Bennett PS - Those of you with grandparents and great-grandparents still alive - talk to them now! Not just about genealogy and history, of course - but I sure wish I had talked with Grandpa Brown about his life and family while he was still alive! I was too young to really care then, and he never brought up those subjects. Don't wait!