First I will apologize for those of you that may receive more than one copy of this post, I am sending it to the lists that I am on currently. I have found a tidbit of info that may shed some light on research in the early 1800's in the lands of the Louisiana Purchase. If you have people that you can't find in this area or wonder what happened to where they were supposed to be buried, this may help give a reason. I have found an account noted in a family history that I was unaware of had caused so much devestation in the upper area of this land, The Louisiana Purchase. There are several Holcomb family articles by John Rayford Holcomb, Maurice Holcomb Wallace & Otha Holcomb Harrison. They were so interesting I had to read them all. This is not my surname research, but their research and notes on the family were quite extensive and detailed that I was amazed. Great job these researchers did. Sorry, I didn't mean to get carried away, here's the reference to history that I mentioned might be important and open another path to search. "SAGA OF CHEROKEE COUNTY, TEXAS", PAGE 338, article: The Early History of Joseph Holcomb Family by Otha Holcomb Harrison "New Madrid, MO., west of the Mississippi River in what was then the Louisiana Purchase, December 16, 1811, when the first of a series of earthquakes was recorded. The quake wiped out the entire community of New Madrid, and the graveyard was thrown into the Mississippi River. It was called the most extensive quake ever felt in the United States. The quake left a great area known as the 'Sunken Country'. Rivers were said to have flowed backward and boats floated up-stream. Many families fled the disaster carrying their possessions to higher ground to the north of Missouri." Lou Ann -- ******************************************************************** Lou Ann & Woody Lunsford NATIVE TEXAN 8310 Werner, Houston, TX 77037-3027 TEXAS PROUD 281/447-8803 Fax 281/447-2133 ********************************************************************