Herman Eugene WARD was born the son of David and Mary Dollie WARD on 23 May 1924 in Browndell, Jasper County, Texas. He married Mary Margaret GOINES daughter of Oscar and Bertie Mae Shaver GOINES. He went by the name Eugene most of his life. He served in the US Army during World War II in which he fought in France and Germany. He and Margaret had several children. He worked in various jobs. He worked as a farmer, carpenter, road construction worker and many more things. He also worked for the CCCamps during the Great Depression doing road work. He is my Grandfather.

Mary Margaret Goines was born the daughter of Oscar GOINES and Berty Mae SHAVER on 13 Aug 1931, in Jasper County, Texas. Her father was born in Anacoca, Beauregard Parish, Louisiana. Her mother was born in Polk County, Texas. She went by the name Margaret all her life. She married Andrew Sandefer of Jasper County, Texas and had a son, Joseph Dan Sandefer. They were divorced shortly thereafter and she married, Herman Eugene WARD, son of David and Mary Dollie WARD. They had several children together. Margaret was a well loved mother, grandmother, and greatgrandmother. She died on 24 May 1998 in Jasper, Texas. She was my Grandmother.

Alfred Cuthbert SIMS was born the son of John SIMS and Apoles Sanderson FOSTER on 05 Apr 1845, in Texas. His father and mother were born in Georgia. He went by the name A.C. most of his life. He married Rachell Laura Arabella Segrest daughter of Jacob SEGRIST, Jr. and Martha L. DAY, in Tyler County, Texas. They had several children and shortly after her untimely death he married Francis Amanda ALLEN and had more several children. He served in the Civil War and by the grace of God missed out on the Battle at Gettysburg due to illness. His company fought on without him. After the war, A.C. became a Preacher and a Farmer. He settled and died in Jasper, Texas on 19 Jan 1920. His memoirs of his Civil War experience are recorded here. He was my Great Great Grandfather.

James Robert BYERLY was born the son of William BYERLY of South Carolina and Edith STEPHENSON on 04 Apr 1846, in Jasper, Texas. He married Louisa Marion BROWN in Jasper County, Texas and they had several children. He died on 01 Feb 1911 in Jasper, Texas and is buried in the Byerly Campground Cemetary. He was my Great Great Grandfather.

Louisa Marion BROWN was born the daughter of John BROWN and Rebecca GOOD on 03 September 1843 in Texas. She married James Robert BYERLY of Jasper, Texas and they had several children. Louisa died on 16 January 1915 in Jasper, Texas. She was my Great Great Grandmother.

Larkin M. MURPHY (also known as Lark, Larkin Nuba, and Larkin Valentine) was born the son of Richard W. MURPHY and Elizabeth MOORE on 20 Jun 1849 in Leake County, Mississippi. There is a lot of unsavory family skeletons regarding this ancestor. It has become evident that he was a bigamist. He married Charlotte Helen COURSEY and had several children. He also married Elizabeth Shaver LOWE (widow) and had several children by her. He also had a child by a young girl named Sally LOWE, who died in child birth with their child. Helen and Lark raised the child as Sally Lowe. She also has been known to use the name Sally Murphy. Elizabeth LOWE and children lived on the same farm, a few houses down from Helen and Larkin. It is said that Helen was aware of the marriage, as she helped raise the LOWE children. Larkin is said to have married her in Louisiana. No evidence of a marriage license for this couple has yet been found. Family members have said that he often fled to Louisiana for short periods to escape the Texas Authorities regarding his other wife. Larkin died on 20 January 1912 in Livingston, Polk County, Texas. He was my Great Great Great Grandfather.