I had asked a friend of mine who lives in Odessa TX to go to the library there and get a copy of the following from one of the Permian Basin Gen. Soc. quarterlies. This item is from the TREESHAKER, Vo. 19, Nbr. 1, April 1981. Thought it might be of interest to someone, FAMILY REGISTER AND HISTORY OF THOMAS HANKS GATLIN He was born April 13, 1815 near Gallatin, Williamson, Co. Tenn. and died March 28, 1885 at Elgin, Texas and is buried in the family graveyard near Youngsport, Bell Co., TX. He married Nancy Wright Christian on Feb 29, 1844. His father was William Gatlin and his mother was Sarah Hanks Gatlin. After his mother died in 1828, Thomas led a wandering life, mostly as a pilot on the Mississippi river from Cairo to New Orleans. In 1840, he was living near Tuscumbia, AL. He was familiar with Muscle Shoals. During the year 1840,his father, William Gatlin, then of Giles Co. TN, sent him power of attorney to come to Texas and locate on the lands that was then the Republic of TX and given to the heirs of the soldiers of the Army who were killed in the war of Texas and Mexico. William Gatlin, Jr. son of William Gatlin and brother of Thomas Gatlin, was killed by the Mexicans while with Col. Fannin's men at Goliad, March 27, 1836. The land belonging to William Gatlin was near the town of Lancaster now in DAllas County, a few miles south of Dallas, Williamson County near the present town of Hutte. It was all sold by Thomas Hanks Gatlin and divided among heirs. The Civil War began in 1861. In early 1862, T.H. Gatlin living on the Christian Hearight League N. of Elgin, obtained a Captain's Commissiion, raised a Co. of Volunteers Inf. Co. C17 Texas Inf. under Co.. R.T. P. Allen, a West Point graduate. Col. Allen conducted a Military College in Bastrop after the war. In the fall of 1862 Capt. Gatlin was ordered to the front in Arkansas and later to a point on the Mississippi river. Capt. Gatlin came home once on furlough. He returned to his command but his health failed and he returned home. He was at his home when the war ended. He owned a headright of 320 acres at the fork of the Lampasas River. He sold some and bought back 100 acres. This was his home until his death. His wife ded in La Junta. CO. Both are burined in the family cemetery. This account was given to me, Dean Manns, by my mother, Fannie Gatlin Courtney. I do not know where she got it, but probably from Olive Standifer Hines, a cousin, dau of Sarah Texas Gatlin Hines, a dau of Thomas Hanks. Olive Hines father, Ricahrd V. Standifer, was the first mayro of Elgin, Texas, Bastrop Co. There are some errors an domissions. We do not know if it was on my mother's part in copying or if different accounts from idifferent sources make the difference. The family cemetery mentioned is the Gibbs Family Cemetery. May publications refer to Sarah Texas as Texana, however sh was Texas and knowan as Aunt Tee. Thomas Hanks wife, NancyCharitian, came to TX as a child with her parents, Thomas and Mary Buchanan Christian. They were members of Austin's colony and received land grants from teh Mexican Government. the arrived in May of 1832. They didn't live on their grant due to the war like conditions of the Indians. They moved on Mr. Webbers place on the Colorado River. Thmas was killed by the Indians in August 1833. Mary remarried. She was widowed again in 1836, and in 1840 finally moved on the Chistian land. Hers was teh firwt house in what later bec ame the town of Elgin. She later built another house closer to town which is still standing, tho muhc remodeled. She died in Elgin in 1870. Submitted by Mrs. Malcome R. (Dean) Manns, 1701 E. 51st. Street. Odessa, TX