Hood County Texas Genealogical Society
JUDGE HENRY DAVIS
RECORDS COLLECTION
HOOD COUNTY, TEXAS
Extracted from 1984 & 1985 Hood County Genealogical Society Newsletters
Introduction by Frank Saffarrans
As related by
Mary Kate Durham, Hood County Historian
Judge Henry Davis' (1891 -1976) hobby was copying all sorts of legal records, e. g. depositions, affidavits, wills, land transactions, marriages, etc. Judge Davis had a Masters Degree, Canyon State College, and was County Judge for one term, January 1, 1951 to January 1, 1956. He was a descendant of the pioneer Davis family who arrived in the Acton area with the earliest settlers of Hood County.
The courthouse was closed and locked during the lunch hour, and Judge Davis remained in the building pursuing his hobby. He read all of the county records, jotting down notes while making use of whatever scrap of paper that was handy, all sizes and kinds of paper, pens, and pencils. If Judge Davis was not busy with the duties of County Judge, he was copying records. He arrived early and left late. Unfortunately he did not possess good handwriting nor organization skills so reading his notations is a tedious task.
After his term as County Judge ended, Judge Davis continued to come to the County Clerk's office reading and copying records. He was slight in stature, always dressed respectably, and seemed to have a "photographic memory" concerning Hood County records and citizens.
Judge Davis gave up most of his record hobby when the Nutt House Hotel, a historic hotel located on the Granbury Square, hired him. His job was to sit in the lobby in a rocking chair and to visit with the hotel guests and visitors. Judge Davis grew a beard and was delighted with the job. He enjoyed the people, and the people were delighted with him.
It was said that Henry Davis never held any real job (paid) in his life except as one-term County Judge and as the hotel raconteur. Those who said this must not have counted teaching as real work as the Judge taught at various schools from about 1915 to the 1950's.
When Judge Davis died in 1976 his sister (he was a life long bachelor) gave the box containing his loose papers to the Hood County Library. Some genealogists organized his papers by sorting them; as best they could, by family surname and by placing them in family file folders. The family folders now have other data added, such as family group records, pedigrees and newspaper clippings that have been added by researchers visiting the library.
These historical folders, five very full file cabinet drawers, are presently available for use by researchers at the Hood County Library. You should consider scheduling a visit to The Hood County Library on your next visit to Granbury.
If it is inconvenient for you to visit the Library in person you may
order copies of these files by mail.
Following is the listing of surname included in the Judge Henry Davis records collection.
|
Abbott |
|
Abel / Ables |
|
Abercrombie |
|
Adams |
|
Addison |
|
Aiken |
|
Akers |
|
Alexander |
|
Allard |
|
Allen |
|
Allgood |
|
Allison |
|
Anderson |
|
Andrews |
|
Anglin |
|
Archer |
|
Armstrong |
|
Arnold |
|
Arrington |
|
Aston |
|
Atchley |
|
Atking |
|
Atkins |
|
Ator |
|
Atwood |
|
Austin |
|
Axtell |
|
Baccus |
|
Baggett |
|
Bagwell |
|
Bailey |
|
Baines |
|
Baker |
|
Baldree |
|
Baldwin |
|
Bales |
|
Ballard |
|
Ballentine |
|
Bancroft |
|
Bandy |
|
Bankhead |
|
Barbee |
|
Barber |
|
Barclay |
|
Barker |
|
Barnard |
|
Barnes |
|
Barrett |
|
Barron |
|
Barry |
|
Barton |
|
Basham |
|
Bass |
|
Bassen |
|
Bates |
|
Baugh |
|
Bearden |
|
Beasley |
|
Beauchamp |
|
Beavers |
|
Beck |
|
Bedwell |
|
Beitz |
|
Bell |
|
Bellah |
|
Belt |
|
Belvins |
|
Benedick |
|
Bennett |
|
Berry |
|
Bevel |
|
Biffle |
|
Biggs |
|
Billings |
|
Bills |
|
Bingham |
|
Bird |
|
Birdwell |
|
Bishop |
|
Black |
|
Blackwell |
|
Blair |
|
Blake |
|
Blankenship |
|
Blanton |
|
Blassengame |
|
Bledsoe |
|
Blevins |
|
Bobo |
|
Boler |
|
Bolton |
|
Bond |
|
Bone |
|
Bonner |
|
Booker |
|
Boone |
|
Bostick |
|
Boswell |
|
Bowden |
|
Bowers |
|
Boyd |
|
Boynton |
|
Boyt / Boyett |
|
Bradford |
|
Bradley |
|
Bradshaw |
|
Brady |
|
Bramlett |
|
Branch |
|
Brandon |
|
Brazzel |
|
Brewen |
|
Brewer |
|
Briley |
|
Brinlee |
|
Britt |
|
Brock |
|
Brooks |
|
Brous |
|
Brown |
|
Browning |
|
Bryam |
|
Bryan |
|
Bryant |
|
Buchanan |
|
Buck |
|
Bull |
|
Bullion |
|
Bupp |
|
Burdett |
|
Burnett |
|
Burns |
|
Burton |
|
Bustle |
|
Butler |
|
Byram |
|
Byrd |
|
Camp |
|
Campbell |
|
Caraway |
|
Carey |
|
Carmichael |
|
Carpenter |
|
Carter |
|
Caruthers |
|
Casey |
|
Cash |
|
Cassity |
|
Castleberry |
|
Cathey |
|
Cauble / Caudle |
|
Caulder |
|
Cavassas |
|
Chadwick |
|
Chalk |
|
Chambers |
|
Chandler |
|
Chapman |
|
Chastain |
|
Cheek |
|
Cherry |
|
Childress |
|
Christian |
|
Christopher |
|
Clapp |
|
Clark |
|
Clary |
|
Clements |
|
Cleveland |
|
Clifton |
|
Clik |
|
Cochran |
|
Cody |
|
Cogdell / Cogdill |
|
Colbert |
|
Cole |
|
Coleman |
|
Collier |
|
Collins |
|
Colvin |
|
Compton |
|
Conn |
|
Cook |
|
Cooper |
|
Coose |
|
Copeland |
|
Corbett |
|
Cornellius |
|
Cotton |
|
Counts |
|
Covington |
|
Cowan |
|
Cowden |
|
Cox |
|
Craig |
|
Crandall |
|
Crawford |
|
Crim |
|
Crites |
|
Crockett |
|
Crook |
|
Cross |
|
Crow |
|
Crowell |
|
Cruce |
|
Crul |
|
Crum |
|
Crump |
|
Culberhouse |
|
Cummings |
|
Cunningham |
|
Dabney |
|
Damron |
|
Daniel |
|
Danley |
|
Dardin |
|
Daugherty |
|
Davidson |
|
Davis |
|
Dawson |
|
Dean |
|
Deaver |
|
DeCordova |
|
Deering |
|
Dempsey |
|
Dennis |
|
Dent |
|
Dickerson / Dickson |
|
Dillahunty |
|
Dillard |
|
Dingler |
|
Disney |
|
Dixon |
|
Dobbins |
|
Dobbs |
|
Dodson |
|
Donaldson |
|
Donathan |
|
Dooly |
|
Doss |
|
Doster |
|
Dotson |
|
Doyle |
|
Drake |
|
Draper |
|
Drennan |
|
Drew |
|
Driskill |
|
Drury |
|
Duckett |
|
Duckworth |
|
Dudley |
|
Duke |
|
Dumas |
|
Dunaway |
|
Duncan |
|
Dunn |
|
Dunnegan |
|
Dunning |
|
Durant |
|
Durham |
|
Durrett |
|
Dutton |
|
Duvall |
|
Dyer |
|
Dysart |
|
Eades |
|
Earnest |
|
Earp |
|
Eaton |
|
Eaves |
|
Eberhart |
|
Eddleman |
|
Eden |
|
Edgman |
|
Edmonsdon |
|
Elam |
|
Elder |
|
Elliot |
|
Ellis |
|
Ellsworth |
|
Endsley |
|
Ensminger |
|
Ernest |
|
Erriksen |
|
Erwin |
|
Estes |
|
Estill |
|
Ethredge |
|
Ethridge |
|
Eubanks |
|
Evans |
|
Everett |
|
Everidge |
|
Ewell |
|
Fair |
|
Fairchild |
|
Fairman |
|
Fant |
|
Farmer |
|
Farr |
|
Farris |
|
Faucet |
|
Faulkner |
|
Ferguson |
|
Ferrell |
|
Fiddler |
|
Fincher |
|
Fine |
|
Finley |
|
Finning |
|
Finstad |
|
Fisher |
|
Fitzhugh |
|
Flake |
|
Flemming |
|
Fletcher |
|
Flinn |
|
Flinniken |
|
Flood |
|
Floyd |
|
Followell |
|
Folsom |
|
Ford |
|
Fore |
|
Forgy |
|
Formwalt |
|
Fortner |
|
Fossett / Fawcett |
|
Foster |
|
Foust |
|
Fowler |
|
Frady |
|
Franklin |
|
Frazier |
|
Freeland |
|
Freeman |
|
Frizzell |
|
Fry |
|
Fuller |
|
Funderburk |
|
Furlow |
|
Gafford |
|
Gaines |
|
Gaither |
|
Gandy |
|
Gardner |
|
Garland |
|
Garner |
|
Garrett |
|
Gartrell |
|
Gaston |
|
Gatewood |
|
Gathright |
|
Gauntt |
|
Gee |
|
Gentry |
|
George |
|
Germany |
|
Gholson |
|
Gibson |
|
Gideon |
|
Gifford |
|
Gilbert |
|
Giles |
|
Gillette |
|
Gilley |
|
Gilliam |
|
Gilliland |
|
Gillis |
|
Gilmore |
|
Gilstrap |
|
Ginn |
|
Glenn |
|
Glover |
|
Godwin |
|
Goforth |
|
Goode |
|
Goodlett |
|
Goodman |
|
Gordon |
|
Goree |
|
Goss |
|
Grace / Grice |
|
Grammer |
|
Granberry |
|
Granbury |
|
Graves |
|
Gray / Grey |
|
Green |
|
Greer |
|
Greg |
|
Gregory |
|
Gresham |
|
Greyham / Graham |
|
Griffin / Griffith |
|
Grimes |
|
Grissom |
|
Groom |
|
Guiles |
|
Guinn |
|
Gunnels |
|
Gunter |
|
Hadley |
|
Haeden |
|
Hale |
|
Halford |
|
Hall |
|
Hambright |
|
Hamilton |
|
Hammock |
|
Haney |
|
Hanna |
|
Hannaford |
|
Hanson |
|
Harber |
|
Harcrow |
|
Hard |
|
Harden |
|
Hargrove |
|
Harkins |
|
Harminson |
|
Harper |
|
Harrell / Harolson |
|
Harris |
|
Harrison |
|
Hart |
|
Harvey |
|
Harwell |
|
Hasting |
|
Hatcock |
|
Hatfield |
|
Havens |
|
Hawkins |
|
Haynes |
|
Hays |
|
Hayworth |
|
Head |
|
Heath |
|
Heathington |
|
Helms |
|
Henderson |
|
Hendon |
|
Hendricks |
|
Henry |
|
Hensell |
|
Henslee |
|
Herring |
|
Hestand |
|
Hewlett |
|
Hickey |
|
Hickok |
|
Hicks |
|
Higgins |
|
Higgs |
|
High |
|
Hightower |
|
Hill |
|
Himmins |
|
Hiner |
|
Hines |
|
Hobbs |
|
Hobson |
|
Hodge |
|
Holcomb |
|
Holden |
|
Holder |
|
Holderness |
|
Holland |
|
Holley |
|
Holmes |
|
Holt |
|
Hood |
|
Hoodenpyle |
|
Hopper |
|
Hopping |
|
Horton |
|
Hoskins |
|
Houston |
|
Houston |
|
Howard |
|
Howell |
|
Howth |
|
Huddleston |
|
Hudgins |
|
Hudson |
|
Hudspeth |
|
Huffman |
|
Huffstutler |
|
Huggins |
|
Hughes |
|
Hull |
|
Humphreys |
|
Hunt |
|
Hunter |
|
Hurst |
|
Huston |
|
Hutcheson / Hutchenison |
|
Iles |
|
Ince |
|
Ingle |
|
Ingram |
|
Inman |
|
Irby |
|
Irvine |
|
Israel |
|
Ives |
|
Ivey / Ivy |
|
Jackson |
|
Jackson |
|
Jacobs |
|
Jacobs |
|
James |
|
James |
|
Jameson |
|
Janson |
|
Jarett |
|
Jarrard |
|
Jarrell |
|
Jarrell |
|
Jenkins |
|
Jenkins |
|
Jenson |
|
Johns |
|
Johnson |
|
Johnson |
|
Johnston |
|
Johnston |
|
Jones |
|
Jones |
|
Jordon |
|
Juliff |
|
Karnes |
|
Keathley |
|
Keith |
|
Kell |
|
Kelley |
|
Kemp |
|
Kennon |
|
Kerr |
|
Key |
|
Killough |
|
Kincannon |
|
King |
|
Kinsey / Kinser |
|
Kinson |
|
Kirby |
|
Kirkland |
|
Kirkland |
|
Kiser |
|
Knight |
|
Knot |
|
Knox |
|
Kooken |
|
Kristentad |
|
Kyle |
|
Kyser |
|
Laefler |
|
Lahe |
|
Lain |
|
Lamar |
|
Lambert |
|
Lancaster |
|
Landers |
|
Lane |
|
Langley |
|
Lanham |
|
Larned |
|
Lawrence |
|
Lawson |
|
Lee / Lees |
|
Leffell |
|
Lemaster |
|
Lester |
|
Letch |
|
Lewis |
|
Light |
|
Linthicum |
|
Little |
|
Littlepage |
|
Lock |
|
Locke |
|
Lockett |
|
Lockhart |
|
Locklin / Lockling |
|
Loftin |
|
Logan |
|
Long |
|
Lott |
|
Love |
|
Lovelace |
|
Lowe |
|
Lucas |
|
Lusk |
|
Luttrell |
|
Lyles / Liles |
|
Maberry |
|
Macy |
|
Mahan |
|
Makanson |
|
Malone / Maloney |
|
Mangold |
|
Mangum |
|
Manley |
|
Manning |
|
Maples |
|
Maret |
|
Markbury / Markberry |
|
Marrs |
|
Marsden |
|
Marsen |
|
Martin |
|
Mason |
|
Massey |
|
Masterson |
|
Mathews |
|
Matlock |
|
Maxwell |
|
May / Mays |
|
Mayfield |
|
Mayo |
|
McAlister |
|
McBrayer |
|
McCarty |
|
McCauly |
|
McClesky |
|
McClish |
|
McCoglin |
|
McCormant |
|
McCoy |
|
McCrary |
|
McCuan / McCuen |
|
McCutchan |
|
McDaniel |
|
McDermot |
|
McDonald |
|
McEachin |
|
McEachlin |
|
McEnturff |
|
McFall |
|
McGaughey |
|
McGowan |
|
McGuire |
|
McIlroy |
|
McInroe |
|
McIntire / McInture |
|
McIntosh / McEntoch |
|
McKee |
|
McKinney |
|
McKinsey / McKinzey |
|
McKiver |
|
McLemore |
|
McLeskey |
|
McMilliam / McMellin |
|
McPherson |
|
McReynolds |
|
McWhorter |
|
Meaders |
|
Meek |
|
Meeker |
|
Menefee |
|
Meridith |
|
Merrifield |
|
Merriman |
|
Meyer / Myers |
|
Middleton |
|
Milam |
|
Miles |
|
Millegan / Mittiken |
|
Miller |
|
Millican |
|
Millington |
|
Million |
|
Mills |
|
Millwee |
|
Mitchell |
|
Mizell |
|
Molder |
|
Moody |
|
Moore |
|
Morgan |
|
Morris |
|
Morrison |
|
Mosley |
|
Moss |
|
Moyer |
|
Mugg |
|
Mulkey |
|
Mullins |
|
Murchinson |
|
Murdock |
|
Murphy |
|
Musick |
|
Myres |
|
Nall |
|
Napier |
|
Nash |
|
Neeley / Nealy |
|
Nelson |
|
Nesbett |
|
Newberry |
|
Newman |
|
Newson |
|
Newton |
|
Nisbett / Nesbett |
|
Nix |
|
Northcutt |
|
Norton |
|
Nunn |
|
Nutt |
|
Oakes |
|
Oats |
|
Obrein |
|
Odeneal |
|
Odom |
|
Oldham |
|
Oliver |
|
Oneal |
|
Orbinson |
|
Oringdereff |
|
Oringderff |
|
Orr |
|
Orum |
|
Osborn |
|
Overton |
|
Owen |
|
Owenby |
|
Oxford |
|
Oxier |
|
Page |
|
Painter |
|
Palmer |
|
Parker |
|
Parkinson |
|
Parks |
|
Parsley |
|
Pate |
|
Patterson |
|
Patton |
|
Paynor |
|
Payton |
|
Peacock |
|
Pearce |
|
Pelts |
|
Penn |
|
Peoples |
|
Perkins |
|
Perry |
|
Peters |
|
Petty |
|
Peveler |
|
Phenix |
|
Philley |
|
Phillips |
|
Piercy |
|
Pilkington |
|
Pinson |
|
Poe |
|
Pond |
|
Pope |
|
Porter |
|
Poston |
|
Powell |
|
poyner |
|
Pressley |
|
Prestace / Prestige |
|
Pribble |
|
Price |
|
Pritchett |
|
Privitt |
|
Proffitt |
|
Pugh |
|
Pullati |
|
Purselley |
|
Quarles |
|
Raburn |
|
Ragsdale |
|
Raifsnider |
|
Rainbolt |
|
Rains |
|
Randals |
|
Randle |
|
Raney |
|
Ransport |
|
Rash |
|
Rater |
|
Ratliff |
|
Raupe |
|
Rawlins |
|
Ray |
|
Rayburn |
|
Reed / Read |
|
Reeves / Reese |
|
Reichtetter |
|
Renfro |
|
Rentfro |
|
Reynolds |
|
Rhea |
|
Rhodes |
|
Rich |
|
Richards |
|
Richardson |
|
Richmond |
|
Riddle |
|
Ridgeway |
|
Riggs |
|
Rigsby |
|
Riley |
|
Ring |
|
Rippeto |
|
Roach |
|
Robb |
|
Robbins |
|
Roberts |
|
Robertson |
|
Robins |
|
Robinson |
|
Rockwell |
|
Rodgers |
|
Roe |
|
Rollins |
|
Rosser |
|
Rothel |
|
Rousseau |
|
Row |
|
Rowland / Rolland |
|
Rozell Rozelle |
|
Rush |
|
Rusk |
|
Russell |
|
Rutledge |
|
Ryburn |
|
Rylee |
|
Saddler / Sadler |
|
Salmon |
|
Sandlin |
|
Sargent |
|
Sartor |
|
Saul |
|
Scarborough |
|
Scott |
|
Search |
|
Searcy |
|
Sears |
|
seeley |
|
Self |
|
Sellars |
|
Sewell |
|
Sexton |
|
Shanley |
|
Shannon |
|
Shaver |
|
Shaw |
|
Shellby |
|
Shelton |
|
Sheppard |
|
Shirley |
|
Showmaker |
|
Sikes |
|
Simmons |
|
Simms |
|
Simpler |
|
Sims |
|
Skipper / Skiffer |
|
Slaughter |
|
Sledge |
|
Smith |
|
Snelson |
|
Snider |
|
Snow |
|
Sparkman |
|
Sparks |
|
Spencer |
|
Stacy |
|
Stalcup |
|
Stanford |
|
Staudt |
|
Stavenhagen |
|
Steedly / Steel |
|
Stell |
|
Stephenson |
|
Stevens |
|
Stewart |
|
Stigler |
|
Stokes |
|
Stone |
|
Stout |
|
Stowe |
|
Strange / Strain |
|
Stribling |
|
Strickland |
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Stringfellow |
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Strong |
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Strout |
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Sublett |
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Sudduth |
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Sue |
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Sullivan |
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Summerford |
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Summerhill |
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Sutton |
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Swaim |
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Swindall |
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Switzer |
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Tandy |
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Tankesley |
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Tarrant |
|
Tate / Tatum |
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Taylor |
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Terrell |
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Thomas |
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Thomason |
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Thompson |
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Thormann |
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Thorp |
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Thrash |
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Tidwell |
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Tillie |
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Tinnin |
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Tippet / Tipton |
|
Tittle |
|
Tolbert |
|
Toler |
|
Tomkins |
|
Tracy |
|
Trammell |
|
Traxler |
|
Traylor |
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Triplett |
|
Trotter |
|
Troutman |
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Truitt |
|
Tubb |
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Tucker |
|
Tuggle |
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Turner |
|
Tye |
|
Umpress |
|
Underwood |
|
Van Zant |
|
Vance |
|
Vandergriff |
|
Vannoy |
|
Vanover / Vanhoozer |
|
Vaughn |
|
Vest |
|
Vestal |
|
Vincent |
|
Waddell |
|
Wade |
|
Wadley |
|
Wakefield |
|
Walker |
|
Wall(s) |
|
Wallace |
|
Wallen |
|
Walley |
|
Walsh |
|
Walters |
|
Walton |
|
Waltrip(drup) |
|
Wann |
|
Ward |
|
Warren |
|
Washburn |
|
Watkins |
|
Watson |
|
Watts |
|
Weeks |
|
Weir |
|
Welch |
|
Weldon |
|
Wells |
|
West |
|
Westbrook |
|
Wharton |
|
Wheeler |
|
Wheelock |
|
Whitaker |
|
White |
|
Whitehead |
|
Whitfield |
|
Wiggins |
|
Wigley |
|
Wilcox |
|
Wilhoit |
|
Wilkerson |
|
Williams |
|
Williamson |
|
Willis |
|
Willoughby |
|
Wilmoth |
|
Wilson |
|
Windsor |
|
Winn |
|
Winslett |
|
Wisenhunt / Whisenhunt |
|
Witt |
|
Wohlford / Wolfred |
|
Wollard |
|
Wood(s) |
|
Woodard |
|
Woodburn |
|
Wooten |
|
Wren(n) |
|
Wright |
|
Wynn |
|
Yancy |
|
Yantis |
|
Yarbrough |
|
Yates / Yeats |
|
Yoakum |
|
York |
|
Young |
|
Zachary |
|
Zumwalt |
|
Zweifel |
Web Page by Virginia Hale
Revised 15 January 1999
© 1998 HOOD COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Visitor since 15 October 1998