Priscilla Shults wrote on 6/10/2005 8:45 PM: > What stores were open in Garrison, Nacogdoches County, Texas about 1880-1900? > > I was informed awhile back that my ancestor Norris D. Ray Sr. owned a store in Garrison. I never knew that. On one census he is reported a printer and another census reports him a painter. There's ust one letter difference between those two occupations. Could be a transcription error? > > Thank you, > Priscilla Hello Priscilla, In Nacogdoches Genealogical Society, compiler, "Nacogdoches County Families" (Nacogdoches, Texas: Nacogdoches Genealogical Society, 1985, reprinted 1999, now out of print) on page 554 there is a story about the James C. Ray family listing Norris D. Ray as a son. It doesn't say anything about him being a storekeeper but it does mention his brother, James Oscar Ray, was a grocer in San Augustine in 1880. Several old store ledger books are in the collection of the East Texas Research Center (ETRC) but I didn't see any Garrison or Ray references with stores. This list is online through the URL below: http://libweb.sfasu.edu/etrc/etrchome.htm You might contact the ETRC and ask about Garrison stores as they have someboxes described as miscellaneous business: NACOGDOCHES COUNTY: COUNTY RECORDS (B-87) and BUSINESS RECORDS (B-88). 1 BOX Miscellaneous county and business records. I hope this helps. Good luck with your future research. -- Regards, Debbie --- Debbie Parker Wayne Nacogdoches TXGenWeb Project http://www.rootsweb.com/~txnacogd/