I am putting this on the two lists in the hope that someone will be able to assist! Please answer directly to Mr. McGrath. Larry Lawrence E. Oliver, TXSMITH List Administrator ________________________________ From: Paul J. Mc Grath [mailto:pmcgrath@ontarioroots.com] Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2007 6:09 PM To: oliverl@suddenlink.net Subject: Smith County, Texas genealogy I am a genealogist working for a Canadian Television show about genealogy called "Ancestors in the Attic", and I could really use some help about an East Texas family. "Ancestors in the Attic" is currently researching for our third season. (Unfortunately it's only available on Canadian History Channel). Our website is http://www.history.ca/ancestorsintheattic/ Our viewers write in with their genealogical stories and we help them try to solve them. I am currently working on a very interesting story. I have an elderly gentleman (90+) who is part of the African-American migration to western Canada which took place in the early 1900s. Not a lot of people are aware of the large numbers of black families which came from all over the USA to settle on the free land being granted in Canada's west. This gentleman was born in Alberta, Canada, but his family was from Oklahoma, or so he thought. It turns out they lived in OK for only a few years. Before that they were from Smith Co., TX - likely Tyler and surrounding area. His father was the only one of 14 children to make the trek north, so this gentleman has never met any of his American cousins. He is especially interested in meeting anyone from his mother's family as his mother died when he was only two. The names are as follows: Thomas Map (b.1884 in VA) married Missouri Brooks (b.1887 in Tyler, died 1921 in Alberta) probably in 1907, likely in Oklahoma. Missouri Brook's parents were Alexandra Brooks (b.1838 in VA, died c.1905 in Tyler) and Harriet (surname unkown, born 1847 in AL, died aft 1910 in Tyler). They had 14 children, but I can only find traces of a 10 of them: William Brooks, b.1866 in Garden Valley, d. aft 1900 Judge Brooks, b. c.1868 in Garden Valley, d. aft 1880 Polly H. Brooks, b. c.1869 in Garden Valley, d. aft 1880 Emma L. Brooks, b. c.1872 in Tyler, d. aft 1880 Martha (twin) Brooks, b. 1877-07 in Tyler, d. aft 1910 Mary (twin) Brooks, b. 1877-07 in Tyler, d. aft 1900 Parker Harkless Brooks, b. 1879-03 in Tyler, d. aft 1910 Floyd Brooks, b. 1885-04-15 in Tyler, d. 1948-12-31 in Tyler Missouri Brooks (previously mentioned) Leona Brooks, b. 1889-03, in Tyler, d. aft 1900 Ruby (adopted daughter), b. 1904 in TX, died aft 1910 I would greatly appreciate if you could help my by pointing me in whatever direction to find these people. And more importantly I'm hoping to trace some living relatives so we can fly them to Alberta to meet their cousin. Please do let me know if you can help me in any way, or if you have any questions. Thank you for your help. Paul McGrath pmcgrath@ontarioroots.com www.OntarioRoots.com