January 24 To Marty in Maryland Excuse me for butting in here but I couldn't resist :) I have this terrible 'affliction' where unconnected data goes into the 'grey cells' and is brought forth by some unconnected reason. I don't wish to presume you haven't already discovered and maybe you already know that the Shannon's gave land for the site of Sherman (see below for references) and that in February 1850 it was specified as the County Seat.(a) Fannin County came from Red River County and included portion that was to become Grayson County. Moving into this area were several distinguished individuals, distinguished in that they played a role in later development. it was written that in 1837 James Shannon was one of twelve such persons to arrive. "...They settled mainly on the waters of Choctaw Creek and its tributaires, Iron Ore and Post Oak Creeks. The settlements, therefore, involved almost exclusively the northeastern one half of the county..."(b) (a)pg. 13; (b)pg. 12 -Ancestors and Descendants Grayson County, Texas, copyright by Grayson County, Texas, Genealogical Society, 1980. Grayson County Before the Civil War by Morris L. Britton Another reference - Grayson County An Illustrated History of Grayson County, Texas by Graham Landrum, a publication sponsored by The Grayson County Federated Women's Clubs, there is a map which shows Shannon on the Preston Road north of Sherman, (Old Sherman is shown to the West) in the 3rd Peters Colony Contract. There is quite a bit of interesting data but I was only looking for my ancestors at the time. My research has already shown me that the 'compiler' and his assistants were not careful when they prepared his 'work' on County Cemeteries. In fact it was in October 1997 that I visited a cemetery connected to my ancestors and located and photographed two grave sites not mentioned in the 1997 'work'. Hope you find what you are looking for. From Oregon