Helo all, I am new to the list and wanted to introduce myself and let ya'll know who I am researching. My name is Kisha and I have been doing genealogy research since this past summer. I have been incredibly fortunate in my research. One reason for this is that I live near Houston and have access to a verry good genealogy library. The other reason for that is that I have stumbled across some very helpful people on the internet who have steared me in the right direction in my research. Here is the Erath Co. research that I am doing. My grandmother, Francis Aline BISHOP was born in Erath Co. in July 26, 1914. Her Father Walter BISHOP born December 1885 in Erath Co. Tx. His parents were Jim R. BISHOP born july 1853 and Alvira/Elvire E. ? born June 1851 both in Mississippi. They had six children that I know of: Alice b. 1874 in Mississippi, Bula b. 1877 in Erath Co., Joseph/Robert b. 1880 in Erath Co., Walter b. 1885 in Erath Co., Neffie b. 1887 in Erath Co and Millie B. 1890 In Erath Co. From what I understand, Walter left the family, and my grandmother would never talk about him. I don't know if there was a divorce or not, but I really don't have any information other than what I have written above. Frances Aline BISHOP's mother was Gertrude ELMORE b. 1893 in Indian Territory Gertrude's parents were Francis ELMORE b. 1862 in Illinois and Mary Ida ELLIOTT b, October 1875 in Erath Co. I beleive that Francis ELMORE and Mary Ida ELLIOT were married in Erath Co. July 1892. They had the following children: Gertrude b. 1893 IT. Seldan b. 1894 IT, Goldie b. 1898 IT, Audrey b. 1900 IT, Jewell b. 1902 IT, Georgia B. 1903 IT. Dovie B. 1907 IT and Fannie B. 1908 in Erath Co. The family was still in Erath Co. for the 1910 census, but I believe they moved to Strawn, Palo Pinto Co. shortly after. Mary Ida (ELLIOTT) ELMORE died 1942 and in burried in Strawn. I have yet to be able to find any death information for Francis ELMORE. Mary Ida ELLIOTT's parents were Hugh S. ELLIOTT and Betty ROBERTS b. ? in Arkansas. Hugh S. ELLIOTT was born May 24, 1849 in Missouri. I have found him on the tax rolls for Erath Co. starting in 1874. He died in Erath Co and is burried in Mt Zion cemetery Mrch 24, 1924. He re-married Maggie F. (?) ELLIOTT in 1888. I can find him listed on the census after he married Maggie, but nothing but the tax records when he was married to Betty Roberts. The story from my aunts is that Mary Ida ELLIOTT was 1/2 or 3/4 Cherokee. I think they may have been hiding from the census takers...who knows? Sorry this is so long, but I wanted to put as much information here as I had in hopes that it would ring a bell with someone and maybe tie in with someone else's research. Also, can anyone tell me what type of holdings the genealogy society in Erath Co. has? I would like to make a trip up there to dig around. And is it quicker to send directly to Erath co for records than it is to send off to the state? That one month plus turn around time from Austin is just too much for an impatient person like me. Thanks for the read Kisha Dante