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Archiver > GADDIS > 2001-02 > 0983160573


From: "Jo Autrey" <>
Subject: [GADDIS] William Gaddis, Group #8, Mystery
Date: Sun, 25 Feb 2001 22:09:33 -0600


Hi group,

I hope someone on our list can possibly give me a fresh insight, comments or any constructive suggestions on my Gaddis research.

I am more and more convinced our William Gaddis wasn't a Gaddis, but was given that name. Our first record of him is on the 1900 Indian Territory where he is listed with Alice Chapman and his half-sisters. I'm also pretty sure unless we can find an elderly person with knowledge of our family or a connecting family, our research will continue to be a dead end with our Mother, her two sisters and one brother. I knew my grandfather, have his death certificate and can honestly say in all the years I knew him, he never mentioned his father.....I asked once and was told by a relative "children didn't ask questions like that".....I never asked again, even as a teenager.

My aunt has a delayed birth certificate....got it in Dallas, Texas even though she was born in Tishomingo, Okla......same for my mother and the rest of the children, all born in Tishomingo, but certificates were obtained in Dallas County, Dallas, Texas. We are in the process of collecting these certificates to see what each of them as "birthplace of father".......and we have to do this without letting my Mom and aunts know about it:)

William Gaddis provided the information for Nora's delayed birth certificate, he gave "Tenn." as his birthplace.????? William's brother, Benjamin Allen Gaddis, has "Michigan" as the birthplace of his father, Allen C. Gaddis.......also on his death certificate which we have a copy of. Our aunt provided the information on our grandfather's death certificate and gave "unknown" for his father and father's birthplace. My Mom's birth certificate has "Texas" as her father's birthplace but I'm not sure who provided the information.

My sister and I have learned not to discuss the questions and theories we have about our grandfather and his family, it is a very sore subject with my Mom and especially one of my aunts. There are just too many things which don't add up to the total picture and the more we are discouraged, the more determined we become:) I am sure there are some buried bones in a closet somewhere, just don't know where and no one to help us. We aren't afraid of what we will find, we just want to find information on our grandfather and learn the "rest of the story"........

We have a few pictures of our Gaddis/Raper/Whalin/Sheppard/Barnes/Rogers family, much more to add.

Sincerely,

Jo Autrey

Jo's Front Porch and Genealogy
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jmautrey
Bowie Texas and Genealogy
http://www.usroots.com/~jmautrey/bowie/bowie.htm
AUTREY Surname Mailing List

"Those of us who cannot reach the mission field on our feet can reach it on our knees." Unknown

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