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1720 Marco Polo Way
Burlingame, Ca 94010
Oct. 29, 1977
Dear Joe:
I am curious to learn if you have had any response from the county historians of Laurens Co., Ga, and Dale Co., Ala.
If you hear from them, I would be very interested in knowing what they say.
I presume you have already seen "My Home Town, the Bedias Story" by Wallace Davis, but am enclosing a couple of the pages pertaining to Bracewells.
I came across the book while researching Grandma Bracewell's family (Alice M. Wells.) She was orphaned as a child and her surviving children (Aunts Ophelia Isgett, Buna Smith & Locye Turner) knew very little about her progenitors. Turns out her grandparents (Ignatius & Nancy Simms) and her great grandparents (Michael & Mary Ann Earle) were S. F. Austin colonists, arriving in 1824.
On page 177 (enclosed) the "I. Simes" mentioned is really Ignatius Simms, who obtained a league (4428 acres) from S. F. Austin. The Earle's league was in Washington Co. between Washington-on-the-Brazos and Brenham (on Jackson Creek.) Michael Earle died in Austin's colony in July, 1827, leaving Mary Ann (Worsham) a widow with 2 sons and five daughters. One of the daughters, Nancy, was married to Ignatius Simms. Mary Ann subsequently married (2nd) James W. Pankey and together they got an additional league in Grimes Co. between Bedias and Iola.
The Mary Ann Simes Callender on p. 177 was Grandma Bracewell's aunt.
"Early History of Grimes Co.", by E. L. Blair contains errors about the Simms family. Unfortunately, other historians use Blair as a reference, so the errors are perpetuated. Blair published in 1930, before U. S. Census records were available.
It's been fun. Please write when you have time.
Best!
(signed) Chas
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