Posted on: Okmulgee Co. Ok Query Forum Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ok/Okmulgee/649 Surname: Edwards, Matthews, Speak ------------------------- Ellen Speak/Speake/Speaks from Okmulgee Co. OK married Mayhew Matthews from TN ca. 1890's. They had 4 children; Maude, Mae, Pearl, and Dan. I don't know if they divorce or if Mayhew dies, but by ca 1908 Ellen is married to an Edwards and they have a son Eddie. Ellen is travling on a train with just the children, north of Dallas Texas when she up and dies stranding the children in the Allen/McKinney Texas area. Sketchy family lore says that this Edwards fella comes and takes only his son Eddie to raise. The two oldest girls are eventually returned to relatives in OK to be raised so this could be either the Matthews or Speak families. But Pearl, my grandmother, about 6 years old at the time is totally abandoned and eventually taken in by a family in the Allen/McKinney area by the name of "Cotton" (I been told) and raised. This is almost a 100 year old mystery. Up until September of this year we didn't even know the names of Pearl's parents ... Mayhew and Ellen Speak Matthews. We only knew her last name was Matthews. During her lifetime she found all her brothes and sisters, but she never, ever spoke of her parents. So the search begins .. can anyone fill in some blanks for us?