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1720 Marco Polo Way
Burlingame, Ca 94010
April 2, 1977
Dear Joe:
Many thanks for your letter of Mar 22 from airport and plane. I'm very pleased that you have a copy of the Reginald Bracewell - Billy Peavy records and would deeply appreciate a copy of anything you can send. By the way, who is Billy Peavy? If B. Lynn can be located, I would love to see the "loaner" copy of the book.
As far as the spelling of great Grandmother's name:
- 1) "The Reunion", Vol 35 (1971) spells it Emmeline" (Reginald B.?).
- 2) The U. S. Census of Grimes Co, 1880, spells it "Martha E."
- 3) On the 1860 census of Dale Co, Ala, written by our great, great grandfather, I saw the name spelled (in another family) - "Emiline".
- 4) My mother was named for her grandmother, and spelled her name "Emma".
- 5) My preference, like yours, is "Emmaline".
- 6) If it means "little Emily", it well could be "Emiline".
I usually devote Friday afternoons from 1 to 4 to research at the Federal Archives & Records Center in nearby San Bruno, reading microfilms of census records. I'm following all 8 of my great grandparents and some of the 16 great grandparents, so it is not something that can be done in a short while. But it is like eating peanuts - once you start, it's hard to stop.
Yesterday I had intended to search Dale Co, Ala, 1860 for Martha Emmaline James and her family, but because of drop-in guests just as I was leaving the house, I had only 1 1/4 hrs at the archives.
Our great, great Grandfather, Wm. Bracewell, was the enumerator!! (note upper right corner of census page.)
There were 1755 white families in Dale Co. that year, and Wm. Bracewell visited every one of them. !! (at age 59 and on horseback.) I didn't look at the slave schedules, but he probably enumerated them too.
It usually takes me 2-3 hrs to read a county that populous, and I had only 1 1/4 hrs.
Didn't find the James family but found several Bracewell families. Kindred Bracewell, age 48, Wm's ½ brother, was there. So were at least two of Wm and Elizabeth's older children: Wm. J. Bracewell, 38, a grocer, and family; Uriah Bracewell, 35, farmer, wife, Jane and 3 sons, William 12, Eliga (Elija) 10, Benj F. 9.
Apparently Wm. Bracewell's family moved from Laurens Co, Ga, to Dale Co, Ala, between 1845 and 1850. Note that the age difference between the oldest and youngest of their 14 children is 26 years!!
I plan to spend next Friday (Good Friday) at the archives and will obtain more details. Hope to find the James family.
I will also query the Dale Co. Clerk as re marriage license for Jos. M. B. & M. E. J. And C.S.A. records for Jos. M. B. service.
Have had two responses to queries for twigs. Hope to have a complete roster of U. C. Bracewell descendants in the next few weeks.
Least known are descendants of Lily Mae Bracewell Morgan.
Her 3 surviving children are:
Gordon Morgan
Box 129
Frisco, Texas 75034
Morris Morgan
Box 38
Frisco, Tex 75034
Mrs. Maedelle Jennings
1004 South 2nd Street
Killeen, Texas 76541
Aunt Lily's oldest son, Dalton, has died but one of his children is:
Mrs. Jackie Byrd
Box 752
Frisco, Texas 75034
I will write to all of them today. (I just learned their addresses yesterday).
Whenever you can, please send copies of whatever you can of the Bracewell's records. I am very curious to know the sources. I will share with you copies of whatever I can dig up here. Best wishes to you and yours.
Cordially your cousin,
(signed) Chas.
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