Hi Tony, In your research of the Davis family, have you run across Susan Davis that married Jonathan H. Anderson in Marengo Co., AL. She died in Panola Co. were Jonathan was sheriff 1848. They were my gg grandparents. I am also descended from the Roberts, Ewing, Hooper, Anderson and English families of Shelby Co. Harold Solomon Deer Park, Texas ----- Original Message ----- From: J. A. Lanagan <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, June 25, 1999 1:44 PM Subject: Martin Fletcher Davis > Peggy: > Congratulations on your newly found counties to work in and your excellent > discoveries. I am NOT a Davis descendant, but maybe I can help you with > some general information. I am a descendant of the > old Carroll, Booth and Paul familes of Shelby County, Texas. One of our > Carroll ladies (Esther Elizabeth) married Caleb L. Davis of this family. > > In an attempt to progress to and list all of the modern day descendants of > Thomas and Mary Ann Carroll, parents of Esther Elizabeth, on a project with > my co-worker and cousin, Bill Carroll, a well known Shelby County > researcher, the lot of the draw gave me the job of finding any DAVIS > descendants of Esther Elizabeth Carroll and Caleb L. Davis. To do this, I > had to get an understanding of the Davis family. > > I would suggest to you that, unless you are close to Panola County that you > order EVERYTHING that you can afford from the LDS and read it all. You have > hit the mother lode with a county with excellent records, and a strong and > large family which owned a lot of property; there is MUCH there. When you > cover all of that, I would then go back to Panola C. and get to be good > friends with Sue Grafton, the County Clerk there. She is a good one and has > been there at least since the early 80's. Then, read all of the the > original loose papers (after reading the probate book references on LDS > films) of the estates. The Davises are there. > > Excuse me for telling you something you probably know. > > You will need to do this to sort out the several people named Nathan Davis, > Abijah Davis, Thomas Davis and so on. This is a large group. In addition > to this, there is another Davis family in the county which does not seem to > be contemporary relatives of Martin Fletcher Davis' group. > > Here are your general clues, as I know it: > > The patriarch of the family was Nathan Davis > (c.1768 to 18 Jan.1857), married to Jane ????, (born c. 1771). Their > children were: not in order > > 1. Abijah Davis > 2. Harrison Davis > 3. Nathan Davis (father of Martin Fletcher Davis) > 4. Margaret Davis (Wooten) > 5. Susannah Davis (Wooten) > 6. Jane Davis (Lindsey or Lindsey) > > Nathan Davis, father of Martin Fletcher Davis, is generally referred to as > 'Jr.' until the late 1850s. > As you say, he was married to Susannah Fletcher. > > Their children that I know of were: > > 1. Louisa Davis, married to David M. Wilson > 2. Margaret Ann Davis, married to James C. > Wilson > 3. Nancy Davis, married to William Wilson > 4. Susan Frances Davis > 5. Martin Fletcher Davis > 6. Mary Jane Davis > 7. Harrison E. Davis > 8. Sarah W. Davis > > I think that this is mentioned in I/215, but I am not sure if this is a deed > or estate book. > > After Susannah's death, Nathan (Jr.) married Elizabeth ???...should be on > record in Panola. > > Your ancestor, Nathan Davis (Jr.) can be seen in FINAL ESTATES (Panola > County's name for early probate record settlements, no longer used), book F, > p.354, 19 Feb. 1872, regarding probate 702 where he acts as the > administrator of the estate of Mary A. Fletcher. Mary A. Fletcher was > formerly Mary Ainsley, second wife and widow of Caleb L. Davis, and later > married to 'Fletcher'. > > He can also be seen in District Court Case 1948, found in the District > Clerk's office. in the case of Abijah D. Davis, et.al. vs. Nathan Davis, > et.al. beginnning 23 May 1871. > These are only some examples. > > More importantly, in regard to the migration of the Davis family, if my > memory serves me, Nathan Davis (c. 1768-c.1857) was listed in Mr. J.B. > Sanders' book on masonry in Shelby County, TX with the exact lodge that he > transferred from in Illinois. This would give you the exact location of his > residence in Illinois. Get a Shelby Co. lookup helper for this. > > From Illinois, he most likely went to Saline County, Arkansas. Here, at > least Abijah Davis, his son and brother to Nathan Davis, Jr. (married to > Susannah Fletcher) first encountered the Carroll family, later of Shelby > County, Texas. I think several of the family were there if not Nathan Sr. > > In Texas, he first went to San Augustine County, I think in the 1830's and > he is documented in some book (the name eludes me) as one of the first > settlers in that part of the county. From there, he moved up to Shelby > County and later to Panola County with a lot of his family with him. If you > check the land patents in these counties, you will see a trail. His nephew > was Oran Milo(?) Roberts, a lawyer, a colonel in the confederacy and finally > governer of Texas. Nathan Davis (Sr.) credited himself with convincing O.M. > Roberts to come to Texas. In Panola County District Court Case 222, > Harrison Davis vs. Rigdon Heath, one of the attornies is Oran Roberts and > the opposing attorney is James Pinckney Henderson, also later a governor of > Texas. > > Obviously influenced by all of this was Thomas Carroll Davis, a well known > judge in Shelby County who grew up with the Panola County Davises. > > So you have here another family name connected with Nathan Davis > (Sr.)--Roberts. > > It may pay you to look at FINAL ESTATES, book F, p,p. 578-581, regarding > probate 780. In this one, Abijah D. Davis, son of Caleb L. Davis and Esther > Elizabeth Carroll Davis acts as guardian of some Wooten children (who are > his cousins). I do not have their names. In an inventory filed 27 August > 1874, there is land listed as being held by the Wooten family in: HENDERSON > COUNTY, TEXAS, you original county research place. > > A final important clue for you is this: > > In FINAL ESTATES book D, p81, etc, in 1858, is more on the Roberts > connection but with a connection to Lewis. Margaret Roberts received 1/2 > (?) of the Elizabeth Lewis Survey. In Deeds ??, book C, page 183, it is > stated that Elizabeth Lewis was the grandmother of Harrison Davis. As > stated before, Harrison Davis was proved in FINAL ESTATES, book D, p. 76 as > being a brother to your Nathan Davis, Jr. If they are all children of the > same mother, this gives you a clue to one line in the next level. > > I hope that this helps you. > > Sincerely, > > Tony Lanagan > > > >

Posting my JONES AND GRUBBS lines. Hope someone recognizes these names!!! Cindy Descendants of Charles Stuart Jones 1 [1] Charles Stuart Jones b: Abt. 1815 in South Carolina d: September 1879 in Texas . +Hepsy E. ... 2 Victoria Barnes b: Abt. 1866 *2nd Wife of [1] Charles Stuart Jones: . +Methany Jane Grubbs b: February 12, 1822 in Fairfield District, South Carolina d: May 07, 1879 in Patroon, Shelby County, Texas m: September 08, 1836 in Fairfield District, South Carolina ... 2 Amances Jones b: Abt. 1838 in Alabama ... 2 Coleman Jones b: Abt. 1839 in Alabama ... 2 Foster Jones b: Abt. 1841 in Texas ... 2 Catherine Jones b: Abt. 1843 in Texas ... 2 Charles Jones b: Abt. 1845 in Texas ... 2 Zachry Jones b: Abt. 1846 in Texas ... 2 Enoch Grubbs Jones b: March 06, 1849 in Texas d: March 13, 1903 in Noble, Louisiana ....... +Catherine Elizabeth Doggett b: February 24, 1854 in Lincoln, Georgia d: May 05, 1928 in Port Arthur, Texas m: December 27, 1872 ........ 3 ? Jones ........ 3 Charles Stuart Jones d: Abt. 1972 ........ 3 [2] Addie Jones b: November 25, 1874 d: March 1964 in Louisiana ............ +J. M. Jackson ........ *2nd Husband of [2] Addie Jones: ............ +Read m: Abt. 1901 ............. 4 Son Reed b: Abt. 1892 ............. 4 Daughter Reed b: Abt. 1894 ........ 3 Lillie Jones b: Abt. 1876 ........ 3 Willie Leslie Jones b: December 24, 1879 in Patroon, Shelby County, Texas d: November 11, 1957 in Zwolle, Louisiana ............ +Lula Mellie Brown b: October 03, 1886 in Leesville, Louisiana d: August 08, 1973 in Leesville, Louisiana m: December 23, 1906 in Anacoco, Louisiana ............. 4 Sybil Jones b: March 19, 1911 in Loring, Sabine Parish, Louisiana d: December 14, 1994 in Leesville, Vernon Parish, Louisiana Burial: Canaan Cemetery, Leesville, Louisiana ................. +Alvin Annie Hardin b: March 29, 1906 in Durham, Roger Mills County, Oklahoma d: December 11, 1991 in Leesville, Vernon Parish, Louisiana Burial: Canaan Cemetery, Leesville, Louisiana m: August 14, 1934 in Batesville, Zavala County, Texas ................... 5 Boy Hardin b: June 27, 1935 in La Pryor, Zavala County, Texas d: June 27, 1935 in LaPryor, Zavala County, Texas Burial: La Pryor, Texas. ................... 5 [3] Foy Madine Hardin ............. 4 Foy Jones b: February 09, 1915 in Ludington, Louisiana d: August 02, 1997 in Leesville, Louisiana ............. 4 W.L. Jones, Jr ........ 3 Marie Jones b: March 17, 1881 d: December 1963 in Louisiana ............ +Preston Smith ........ 3 Thayne Jones b: Abt. 1883 ........ 3 Luzelle Jones b: Abt. 1885 ........ 3 Vivian Jones b: Abt. 1887 ............ +Watkley ........ 3 Lynn T. Jones b: Abt. 1889 ............ +Inez m: Abt. 1910 ............. 4 Maurine Jones b: Abt. 1911 ............. 4 Leonard Jones b: Abt. 1913 ........ 3 Byron E. Jones b: Abt. 1891 in New Orleans, Louisiana ............ +Lucille ............. 4 B.E. Jones, Jr. b: Abt. 1913 ............. 4 Ruth Jones b: Abt. 1915 ........ 3 Vessie Jones b: Abt. 1893 ........ 3 Fred Jones b: Abt. 1895 ... 2 Thomas Jones b: Abt. 1855 in Texas ... 2 Methany Jones b: Abt. 1859 in Texas ... 2 Latham Charles Jones b: Abt. 1860 in Texas ... 2 Cora A. Jones b: March 01, 1860 in Texas ....... +John F. Grubbs b: January 01, 1850 m: Abt. 1878 ........ 3 Bertie Grubbs b: November 01, 1879 ... 2 Lizzie Jones b: Abt. 1862 in Texas January 01, 1850 m: Abt. 1878 ........ 3 Bertie Grubbs b: November 01, 1879=20 ... 2 Lizzie Jones b: Abt. 1862 in Texas=20

Sorry sir, but I don't now of any connections of this group to Benton County, AL or Red River County, TX. The Abijah Davis to whom I refer was living in Saline County, Arkansas at the time that you mention. His children that I know of are: 1. Caleb L. Davis, married first to Esther Elizabeth Carroll and second to Mary Ainsley 2. Margaret Davis, married to Thomas L. Milner 3. Jane Davis, married to Dr. John C. Lindsay 4. Louisa Davis, married to 'Pelton', suspected daughter 5. Mary F. Davis another son is possible of course, but I do not have him Thanks, Tony Lanagan -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Friday, June 25, 1999 4:39 PM Subject: Abijah Davis > >In a message dated 6/25/99 1:09:56 PM Pacific Daylight Time, >[email protected] writes: > ><< > 1. Abijah Davis > 2. Harrison Davis > 3. Nathan Davis (father of Martin Fletcher Davis) > 4. Margaret Davis (Wooten) > 5. Susannah Davis (Wooten) > 6. Jane Davis (Lindsey or Lindsey) > > >> >There was an Abijah DAVIS in Benton Co., AL ca 1838. One of his sons moved >to Red River Co. TX after the Civil War. > >Grant > >

The Johnson -Henrietta Cemetery is no on-line, thanks to Joe Louis Jones quick view http://www.rootsweb.com/~txshelby/cem_johnhen.htm Ray Jackson [email protected] Shelby County Co-ordinator

Peggy, One final thing: About a year ago, I saw a query somewhere in a printed publication inquiring about this same Davis family of Panola County. It was posted by Carolyn Billingsley. She is a mainstay genealogist for Benton County, Arkansas and a good friend of Desmond Walls Allen. Both are pretty much experts on Arkansas genealogy. With a little effort, you should be able to find the address of Carolyn. I do not know her but I think that she is also co-author with Desmond on some of the Arkansas publications. I don't know her connection to this family--if any--but you probably should try to find out and connect with someone more expert than me about the Davis family. Tony Lanagan

Peggy: Congratulations on your newly found counties to work in and your excellent discoveries. I am NOT a Davis descendant, but maybe I can help you with some general information. I am a descendant of the old Carroll, Booth and Paul familes of Shelby County, Texas. One of our Carroll ladies (Esther Elizabeth) married Caleb L. Davis of this family. In an attempt to progress to and list all of the modern day descendants of Thomas and Mary Ann Carroll, parents of Esther Elizabeth, on a project with my co-worker and cousin, Bill Carroll, a well known Shelby County researcher, the lot of the draw gave me the job of finding any DAVIS descendants of Esther Elizabeth Carroll and Caleb L. Davis. To do this, I had to get an understanding of the Davis family. I would suggest to you that, unless you are close to Panola County that you order EVERYTHING that you can afford from the LDS and read it all. You have hit the mother lode with a county with excellent records, and a strong and large family which owned a lot of property; there is MUCH there. When you cover all of that, I would then go back to Panola C. and get to be good friends with Sue Grafton, the County Clerk there. She is a good one and has been there at least since the early 80's. Then, read all of the the original loose papers (after reading the probate book references on LDS films) of the estates. The Davises are there. Excuse me for telling you something you probably know. You will need to do this to sort out the several people named Nathan Davis, Abijah Davis, Thomas Davis and so on. This is a large group. In addition to this, there is another Davis family in the county which does not seem to be contemporary relatives of Martin Fletcher Davis' group. Here are your general clues, as I know it: The patriarch of the family was Nathan Davis (c.1768 to 18 Jan.1857), married to Jane ????, (born c. 1771). Their children were: not in order 1. Abijah Davis 2. Harrison Davis 3. Nathan Davis (father of Martin Fletcher Davis) 4. Margaret Davis (Wooten) 5. Susannah Davis (Wooten) 6. Jane Davis (Lindsey or Lindsey) Nathan Davis, father of Martin Fletcher Davis, is generally referred to as 'Jr.' until the late 1850s. As you say, he was married to Susannah Fletcher. Their children that I know of were: 1. Louisa Davis, married to David M. Wilson 2. Margaret Ann Davis, married to James C. Wilson 3. Nancy Davis, married to William Wilson 4. Susan Frances Davis 5. Martin Fletcher Davis 6. Mary Jane Davis 7. Harrison E. Davis 8. Sarah W. Davis I think that this is mentioned in I/215, but I am not sure if this is a deed or estate book. After Susannah's death, Nathan (Jr.) married Elizabeth ???...should be on record in Panola. Your ancestor, Nathan Davis (Jr.) can be seen in FINAL ESTATES (Panola County's name for early probate record settlements, no longer used), book F, p.354, 19 Feb. 1872, regarding probate 702 where he acts as the administrator of the estate of Mary A. Fletcher. Mary A. Fletcher was formerly Mary Ainsley, second wife and widow of Caleb L. Davis, and later married to 'Fletcher'. He can also be seen in District Court Case 1948, found in the District Clerk's office. in the case of Abijah D. Davis, et.al. vs. Nathan Davis, et.al. beginnning 23 May 1871. These are only some examples. More importantly, in regard to the migration of the Davis family, if my memory serves me, Nathan Davis (c. 1768-c.1857) was listed in Mr. J.B. Sanders' book on masonry in Shelby County, TX with the exact lodge that he transferred from in Illinois. This would give you the exact location of his residence in Illinois. Get a Shelby Co. lookup helper for this. >From Illinois, he most likely went to Saline County, Arkansas. Here, at least Abijah Davis, his son and brother to Nathan Davis, Jr. (married to Susannah Fletcher) first encountered the Carroll family, later of Shelby County, Texas. I think several of the family were there if not Nathan Sr. In Texas, he first went to San Augustine County, I think in the 1830's and he is documented in some book (the name eludes me) as one of the first settlers in that part of the county. From there, he moved up to Shelby County and later to Panola County with a lot of his family with him. If you check the land patents in these counties, you will see a trail. His nephew was Oran Milo(?) Roberts, a lawyer, a colonel in the confederacy and finally governer of Texas. Nathan Davis (Sr.) credited himself with convincing O.M. Roberts to come to Texas. In Panola County District Court Case 222, Harrison Davis vs. Rigdon Heath, one of the attornies is Oran Roberts and the opposing attorney is James Pinckney Henderson, also later a governor of Texas. Obviously influenced by all of this was Thomas Carroll Davis, a well known judge in Shelby County who grew up with the Panola County Davises. So you have here another family name connected with Nathan Davis (Sr.)--Roberts. It may pay you to look at FINAL ESTATES, book F, p,p. 578-581, regarding probate 780. In this one, Abijah D. Davis, son of Caleb L. Davis and Esther Elizabeth Carroll Davis acts as guardian of some Wooten children (who are his cousins). I do not have their names. In an inventory filed 27 August 1874, there is land listed as being held by the Wooten family in: HENDERSON COUNTY, TEXAS, you original county research place. A final important clue for you is this: In FINAL ESTATES book D, p81, etc, in 1858, is more on the Roberts connection but with a connection to Lewis. Margaret Roberts received 1/2 (?) of the Elizabeth Lewis Survey. In Deeds ??, book C, page 183, it is stated that Elizabeth Lewis was the grandmother of Harrison Davis. As stated before, Harrison Davis was proved in FINAL ESTATES, book D, p. 76 as being a brother to your Nathan Davis, Jr. If they are all children of the same mother, this gives you a clue to one line in the next level. I hope that this helps you. Sincerely, Tony Lanagan

In a message dated 6/25/99 1:09:56 PM Pacific Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: << 1. Abijah Davis 2. Harrison Davis 3. Nathan Davis (father of Martin Fletcher Davis) 4. Margaret Davis (Wooten) 5. Susannah Davis (Wooten) 6. Jane Davis (Lindsey or Lindsey) >> There was an Abijah DAVIS in Benton Co., AL ca 1838. One of his sons moved to Red River Co. TX after the Civil War. Grant

--part1_d023584d.24a4e532_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit --part1_d023584d.24a4e532_boundary Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Disposition: inline Return-Path: <[email protected]> Received: from rly-yh05.mx.aol.com (rly-yh05.mail.aol.com [172.18.147.37]) by air-yh01.mail.aol.com (v59.51) with SMTP; Fri, 25 Jun 1999 00:22:00 -0400 Received: from raven.sat.net (raven.sat.net [207.224.54.10]) by rly-yh05.mx.aol.com (vx) with SMTP; Fri, 25 Jun 1999 00:21:50 -0400 Received: from cop (nac18.sat.net [209.181.152.83]) by raven.sat.net (8.8.8/8.8.8) with SMTP id XAA28587 for <[email protected]>; Thu, 24 Jun 1999 23:15:26 -0500 (CDT) Message-ID: <[email protected]> From: "Bruce Martin" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Sample Reunion, Shelby County Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1999 23:20:18 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2314.1300 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2314.1300 The Annual Sample/Metcalf Reunion will be held Saturday, July 3, 1999 at the family cemetery located east of Shelbyville off of FM 2694. Everyone please bring chairs, pictures, picnic style lunch, and family history to share with other member of these early pioneer families of Shelby County. For further information please call Barbara Lindley at 368-7176 or Vickie Martin, after 5:30 pm at 409-598-8468. A perpetual fund has been established for the upkeep of the cemetery and donations may be mailed to Sample Cemetery Fund % Vickie Martin, Rt. 5, Box 199-A, Center, TX 75935. --part1_d023584d.24a4e532_boundary--

A BIG thanks! to all of you for your input regarding the cemetery records, I inquired about. Kathy

J.B. Sanders did comprehensive research on those buried in Shelby County, and wrote a book entitled "Our Dead" which lists all of the dead that he could identify thru funeral home records, cemetery records, tombstones, etc. It includes unmarked graves where some record existed. It is an excellent source of information for those doing research in Shelby County. The book is no longer in print but is still available in some libraries in some counties in east Texas. J.B. Sanders also wrote two books on marriages in Shelby County, one indexed according to grooms and the other indexed according to brides. They are excellent resources also. Doyle T. Brittain

Does anyone know if there have been records kept of unmarked graves in Shelby County, and if so, where may I find these records? Thank you, Kathy

Yes I know its an awesome task but can be done. I have been working on it and some on it is on my web site and has helped a lot of people. I do have some volunteers in the courthouse for me while I am out in the cemeteries. If you are close to a genealogical library, you can view the Shelby Co Tx birth and death index. Thanks for your comment Elizabeth. Judy Manshack Allen -----Original Message----- From: Elizabeth Person <[email protected]> To: Rick Allen <[email protected]> Date: Thursday, June 24, 1999 4:28 PM Subject: Re: Cemetery Records >I have thought about it and what a great idea it would be,but I am too >far away. It certainly would be a formidable task. >Annette Sanders Person > > >Rick Allen wrote: >> >> Yes, it is an excellent tool to use and also some Shelby Co Tx >> cemeteries are now online in case some didn't know. I would like to >> know if anyone has considered extracting vitals from the city and >> county courthouse? >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Doyle T. Brittain <[email protected]> >> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> >> Date: Thursday, June 24, 1999 3:22 PM >> Subject: Re: Cemetery Records >> >> >J.B. Sanders did comprehensive research on those buried in Shelby >> County, >> >and wrote a book entitled "Our Dead" which lists all of the dead that >> he >> >could identify thru funeral home records, cemetery records, tombstones, >> >etc. It includes unmarked graves where some record existed. It is an >> >excellent source of information for those doing research in Shelby >> >County. The book is no longer in print but is still available in some >> >libraries in some counties in east Texas. >> > >> >J.B. Sanders also wrote two books on marriages in Shelby County, one >> >indexed according to grooms and the other indexed according to brides. >> >They are excellent resources also. >> > >> >Doyle T. Brittain >> > >> > >> >

Yes, it is an excellent tool to use and also some Shelby Co Tx cemeteries are now online in case some didn't know. I would like to know if anyone has considered extracting vitals from the city and county courthouse? -----Original Message----- From: Doyle T. Brittain <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Thursday, June 24, 1999 3:22 PM Subject: Re: Cemetery Records >J.B. Sanders did comprehensive research on those buried in Shelby County, >and wrote a book entitled "Our Dead" which lists all of the dead that he >could identify thru funeral home records, cemetery records, tombstones, >etc. It includes unmarked graves where some record existed. It is an >excellent source of information for those doing research in Shelby >County. The book is no longer in print but is still available in some >libraries in some counties in east Texas. > >J.B. Sanders also wrote two books on marriages in Shelby County, one >indexed according to grooms and the other indexed according to brides. >They are excellent resources also. > >Doyle T. Brittain > > >

Are we allowed to post genealogical queries at this address? I don't remember ever seeing any, as I have on other rootsweb lists. Thank you, Kathy

Hello List, I wanted to share what I found at the end of April on my 3 day research trip to the piney woods. I had no idea that my ancestors were as far east in Texas as Panola/Harrison/Shelby counties until a very generous fellow genealogist, NOTHA STEVENS, notified me that my Fletcher (also M. F.) Davis who I had been searching in vain for, was actually Martin Fletcher DAVIS, son of Nathan DAVIS and Susan FLETCHER. I had been unable to find anything on him before he bought 102 2/5 acres of land in Henderson County Texas (actually he traded 3 bales of cotton each weighing 500 pounds). He evidently died between March 1885 when he bought another tract of land, and November of 1886 when his widow remarried. He had been impossible to find since he is not listed in the census index, but Notha let me know that he was on the census in Panola county in 1880. From there it just snow balled! Yippee!! Martin Fletcher DAVIS married Laura Ellen STORY, another one that was impossible to track since the maiden name on her daughter's death certificate said Laura Ellen was "STREEY". I had assumed that it might be a typo of "STREET" Thanks to other generous fellow researchers, Carol ? <C. VanV> and Elizabeth (Beth) STORY MOORE for letting me know that Laura Ellen STORY was the daughter of Joseph STORY and Tenny HUMPHREYS..... And that Tenny was the daughter of Joseph HUMPHREYS who died in Harrison County, Texas about 1844. I found that Joseph was a widower who had come to Texas with his 2 small children after their mother's death. He later married Sarah STORY (no relationship has been established between Sarah STORY HUMPHREYS and Joseph STORY who married Tenny HUMPHREYS, daughter of Joseph HUMPHREYS) While in Harrison County doing my research, I found that Joseph Humphreys had donated 50 acres of land from his own headright on the Sabine River, to be the site of the county seat of Harrison County. He also donated the timber on the tract to be used to build the court house, jail, church and other buildings for the town site of what became Pulaski. Files submitted to the Harrison County Historical Commission as well as information found at the library in Shelby County show that Pulaski was the 2nd County seat of Harrison County and when Panola County was carved out of Harrison and Shelby Counties, Pulaski was the first County seat of Panola County. In 1849, when it was decided that Pulaski was not near enough to the center of the County, Carthage became the county seat. Hope someone finds something of interest here. Without the help of others, I would still be stuck on M. F. DAVIS in Henderson County in 1883. Peggy Loar still be stuck on M. F. DAVIS in = Henderson County in 1883. Peggy Loar

Noted author, historian and researcher, Charles Chitwood of Jefferson, Texas will speak at the Shelby County Historical Society meeting this Thursday, 6:00 pm at the Shelby County Museum in Center, Texas. Refreshment will be served -- Shelby County Historical Society Shelby County Museum and Genealogy Research Library Post Office Box 1542 230 Pecan Street Center, Texas 75935-1542 tel:409/598-3613 fax: 409/591-0959 [email protected] www.panola.cc.tx.us/~schs Monday - Friday 12:00 - 4:00 Saturdays 10:00 - 2:00 After hours by appointment

Dear Folks! I need a little help in 3 counties. I hope someone can do a lookup or help me find a picture. 1. In the Shelby Co. History book, F953, Smith Family, there is a picture of the Bazer family of Paxton taken in 1896. This info was submitted by Elaine Smith Berry b 9/4/1912. Does any one know if she is still living, or who I might contact about this picture? 2. I need a census lookup in Smith Co for 1870 for Jackson Shahan, Louisa Shahan, both pg 281; Mattie Shahan and William Shahan both pg 237. Then in 1880 in Smith Co., William A. Shahan pg 169. I need the family members, ages, relationship and where born. 3. I need a census lookup in Blanco Co. for 1880 for A. J. Shahan pg 335. Need same info. Thanks so much. I just don't know when I'll get back to a library. Kay McCary Kay Parker McCary, Milam, Sabine County, Texas http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/m/c/c/Kay-P-McCary/

I was hoping that someone could tell me how to find the burial spot of someone in Corinth Cemetery who doesn't seem to have a tombstone (or least I can't find it yet). I am looking for Elizabeth Lewis (b. 20 Dec 1855, d. 9 Aug 1949). She is listed as being buried in Corinth Cemetery. Her husband, William Jeff (or W.J.) Lewis, (b. 18 Nov 1856, d. 14 Apr 1907) is also buried there, but he has a tombstone. There are unmarked places on each side of William, but I don't know for sure if one of these could be Elizabeth. Any information would be helpful. Thanks, Jill Smith [email protected]

The Hamilton-Everett-Nicholson Cemetery is now on line. quick view http://www.rootsweb.com/~txshelby/cem_hamilton_nick.htm Ray Jackson [email protected] Shelby County Co-ordinator

The Greer Brady Cemetery is now on line, Thanks to Lillian Bittick quick view http://www.rootsweb.com/~txshelby/cem_greer-brady.htm Ray Jackson [email protected] Shelby County Co-ordinator