At 8:58 AM -0500 5/21/00, Janet Milam wrote: >Posted on: Carter County, Ok Query Forum >Board URL: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ok/Carter?read=1090 > >Surname: FINLEY, GAITHER >------------------------- > >I am searching for info on William Benjamin FINLEY and wife >Eleanor/Louella called Ella GAITHER who are supposed to be buried in Healdton >in Carter Co. Have not discovered the names of her parents. His father >is James. You can contact me at Janet Milam 108 W. Ollie Floydada, TX 79235 >or on the internet. W. B. died 24 Apr 1922. Ella died 18 Aug 1918. **************************************************************** Good Morning: In the book, "Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers", published in 1982 there is an article on William B. and Eleanor (Gaither) Finley. "In 1901 William B. and Eleanor Gaither Finley crossed Red River into Grady, Indian Territory. They lived there two years before moving to Pike, Indian Territory. After one year they moved to Healdton, Indian Territory. They were married at Waco, Texas in 1885. After moving to Indian Territory, he farmed. "B", as he was called, was born March 2, 1856, at Woodbury, Tennessee. His father, James Finley, was born April 15, 1832, at Woodbury, Tennessee. His mother Melisa Cooper Finley, born in 1830, died in Sunflower County, Mississippi, in October of 1875. They were enroute to Waco, Texas, when she died. "B" had seven brothers, John (Carlton, Texas), Jim (Meadow, Texas), George (Athen, Texas), Robert, who died young, Ed (Healdton, Okla.), Tom (Roswell, NM) and Richard (Portales, New Mexico) "B" had five sisters, Parilla Henry (Hamlin, Texas), Lockie Etchison (Gatesville, Texas), Callie Sedgewick (Gibtown, Texas), Fannie, who died young, and Jennie Chandler (Snyder, Texas). Eleanor Gaither Finley was born at Woodbury, Tennessee, in 1869. She was the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Nat Gaither. She had twin brothers, Isaac and Ivory. They also migrated to Texas. "B" and Eleanor had eight children: 1. Minnie Finley Gaither (born at Gatesville, Texas and died at Healdton, Okla: and whose children are: Jessie, Robert, Opal, Iva, Willard, Cecil, Helen Jean and Dorothy.) 2. Jess (born at Gatesville, Texas, and died at Floydada, Texas and whose children are: Wayne, Lila and Toddy) 3. Elvira Finley Slawson (born at Carlton, Texas, and now (1982) residing at the Healdton Nursing Home _ see William Slawson) 4. Robert (born at Carlton, Texas, and died at Bakersfield, Calif, and whose children are: Lillian, Louise, Lloyd, Sam, Donald, Allene, June and Malcolm) 5. Wylie (born at Gibtown, Texas, and died at Wilson, OK) 6. William (born at Gibtown, Texas, and died at Gladewater, Texas, and whose children are: Pauline and Lucille.) 7. Lou Essa Finley Cryer (born at Gibtown, Texas, and now (1982) residing at El Reno, Oklahoma, and whose children are: Faye, Joe, Irene, Inez, Eugene, Howard and Yvonne) 8. Mae Belle Finley Thompson, (born at Pike, Indian Territory and now (1982) residing at Buchanan Lake, Texas, and whose child is Alma Mae) Eleanor died at Healdton, Oklahoma in 1918" Submitted by Lonnie Slawson. There is also a nice article on William Forrest and Mamie Elvira (Finley) Slawson. Hope this will be of help to you, and I wish you all the best in your research, Anna Marie.