I just found a note in my mother's bible regarding Nancy McDonald Ragan which is as follows: "Nancy McDonald was born on September 14, 1820 in Illinois, in what, in an early day was called the American Bottom, not far from St. Louis. Her parents moved to Morgan County before she was old enough to remember. In this place, about 3 miles northeast of Jacksonville, she grew to womanhood. She was married in 1847 on February 16 to Henry Harrison Ragan in Jacksonville, in the home of his sister, Mary Anne (Ragan) Taylor, by Charles Dallton. There was born to them seven children, 3 boys and four girls, all living save one, George Washington, who died February 19, 1856 when 3 years and 18 days old. In 1863 they moved to Iowa and located in Cass County where they lived for three years, and then moved to Lucas County in August of 1868. She was baptized by Robert Reed in English in Marion County. Some years after this they moved to Vernon County, Missouri, where the husband and father died and was buried at Montivello Mo. in the fall of 1886. There the mother and daughter, Martha Ellen ("Aunt Mattie" who never married) moved to southwest Kansas, where they have since lived. Mother Ragan gave her whole life to her children. They were ever in her thoughts. She toiled night and day that they might have a good life. And while not active in religious circles, she taught her children honesty, industry, and economy, both by precept and example, and also that they must love and fear the God of the bible." I don't know if the above helps anyone, but I thought I would send it just in case. There is also no date on the note and as it is typed I don't know who the author was but it was probably not my mother. There appears to be a discrepancy or two in the info but I thought someone might recognize either the McDonald family or the children of Henry and Nancy. I also want to ask if anyone knows if the "American Bottoms" is in Missouri or Illinois or both, as I have other info that Nancy McDonald was born in Missouri not Illinois as the above note would suggest. Thanks. Stephen Carlile