Dear Ray,

Thanks for all the marital information. Minerva Catherine Derr and Murdoch Cameron were the parents of Alice Cameron born in Chamal. She subsequently married my grand-uncle Lee Wesley Taylor and they had three sons, Wesley, Gilbert, and Kenneth. The Taylors returned to Chamal in 1922. The Camerons probably returned about the same time because Uncle Lee and Aunt Alice, I'm pretty sure, were married there. Uncle Lee and Aunt Alice lived mostly in McAllen, where he had some sort of welding business. I'll need to confirm the type of business with my Grandpa. Uncle Lee and Aunt Alice retired in Chamal and built a nice stilt house there on some land he owned. He died in McAllen in December 1998. Gilbert died in 1999 or 2000, Brownsville, TX. I believe Aunt Alice may have died last year. I can't remember where Wesley is living at present; Kenny is in McAllen.

My grandfather got Lee's land in shape, planted orchards, etcetera. They were in business together in Chamal and McAllen. I cannot remember whether Lee grew tomatoes or not. When we visited them in their new house in the late 1970s or 1980 he showed us around and, because I liked coffee, he especially showed Dad and I some coffee plants he had. I don't know what happened to those plants. Some of my Taylor cousins who bought Uncle Lee's property were unaware that they existed at last year's reunion. Lee was the oldest child of Ashley Taylor and Silva Penix. My Grandpa, Glenn, was second. Of their three sisters, Vesta and Juanita are dead; Mary lives in San Antonio. Of their five brothers, two, George and Ashley are dead; Joe, Wade, and Lindy are still alive, and all three brothers divide their time between Chamal and San Antonio. Uncle Lindy and Grandpa definitely grew tomatoes. Grandpa now 93 lives in Katy, TX.

I know very little about the Talleys and would appreciate any further information you have on this family. You asked about a list of the colonists. A very old one exists that was passed out years ago, over several actually, at various Blalock Mexico Colony annual reunions. I have used it and various other sources to compile a more thorough list and to research the shareholders, colonists, those who returned, etcetera. Any further information you have, particularly on the Talleys, would be greatly appreciated. I've been researching the people and history of the colony for several years now and you are the first to even mention the Talley family. Do you know where they settled after they left Chamal? Do you know where they came from before going to Greer County, OK?

The database I've been keeping on Chamal shareholders and/or colonists includes a B. B. Talley and an S. C. Tally. I didn't even know about John before reading your posted message. Do you know whether B. B. and S. C. were related? Do you know what their initials stand for? Who does John belong to (son of one of the above)? You see, that's one of the problems with the old Chamal Colony list. It gives initials mostly and identifies the women usually only as Mrs. so and so. I believe that list was compiled from names mentioned in The Chamal Record, published between 1912 and 1913. Using initials and identifying women only by their husband's names was quite popular at that time but is of little help to genealogical researchers.

Oh yes, before I forget, Barney Derr married Gladys M. Bogle, daughter of William E. and Mrs. William E. Bogle (see what I mean!). Her siblings were Davie R., Ruby, and Warner E. Bogle. Gladys was the librarian in Chamal at least during 1912-1913.

My database shows seven Camerons: Aleck, Daniel V., Lucy, Murdock C. Jr., and Mrs Murdock C. Jr (who I now know--THANK YOU--was Minerva Catherine Derr), Alice, and M. Cameron. I have no further information on "M," but I think it might have been a son, possibly named Murdock C. III???? Do you know how Aleck and Daniel V. are related to Murdoch? Do you know who Lucy is (sister, wife, mother)????
Any further information you have to share is much appreciated. I have some information on the Derrs, but anything you have on them would be helpful as a cross check.

Ideally, I would like to post a more thorough list on the Chamal Reunion site (online through rootsweb) as soon as I can get a few more people identified. Thus, any information you have is extremely helpful. I look forward to hearing from you, Kimberly J. Taylor Herrick. KJTHerrick@aol.com