Hello Heather: Welcome to the Roll surname list! You don't have very much to start with! Can you find out the name of the town your mother was born in? Does she have a copy of her birth certificate, the town would be on it? Do you know who filled out the death certificate information (usually a close relative) for Francis Marie Rolls? If it was someone you know, contact them and ask where Francis was born. If you do not know who filled out the information, send for the death certificate. I do not know anything about Texas, but the county clerk had birth and death records from 1903 on. You can call or write for details. Sometimes if you will call during the night, you can get an answering machine that gives details for obtaining a certificate and the cost and it is also cheaper to call at night. Dallas County Clerk 500 Main Street Dallas, TX 75202-3513 (214) 653-7131 This is as of 1991, the above might have changed. All genealogy research is done by counties in the States. Once you find out the name of the town, then it is easy to find the name of the county. If you have any living relatives, contact them NOW and get as much information as they are willing to give. Another thing you might look for would be the obituary for Francis. The Dallas Morning Star (I think that is the name) is on line, but I do not know if the obituaries are archived for the internet. Try to find the SS records for Francis. Go to http://www.ancestry.com and do a SS search, that is free there. Maybe some of the others on the list can give you more suggestions. Keep us informed with your findings, that way we can help you. Above all else, be patient. Good luck, Nancy