Subject: Our Family Background  Date: 25 Oct 1997 
From: Mary F Bales mbales@mail.win.org

Thought I would send you a line while some of the answers to 
your questions are fresh in my mind. My mother Clare Odessa Anderson 
Bishop had one brother and three sisters that I know of. None of them 
are living. Her mother's name was Elizabeth Basinger. Basinger being 
her second marriage name. She and second husband lived around Laddonia, 
Mo for years. I understand that my grandfather Anderson was killed by a 
run away team at a rail road crossing. Keep in mind that I am almost 72 
and these things happened before I was born. Also, remember we didn't 
have a mother and father to raise us, we were in foster homes, so we 
don't know all of the details like a family that was always close. 
Anyway, I know my grandmother had seven kids by her first marriage and 
seven by her second. As far as I know the second family children all 
live in and around Chicago. I'm sure that my grandmother was living 
there when she died. Somewhere around Cicero. I also remember them 
saying that several of my grand mother's children died during the flu 
epidemic way back when. One of my mother's sisters was Elsie. She was 
married to Art Leemaster. They had no children and lived in Chicago. 
Aunt Nellie was married to Roy Saxe. They had no children and lived in 
Hannibal, Mo. Aunt Leona had two boys. She lived in Chicago. I don't 
know much about her. I do remember them saying that she died from a 
goiter. The two boys were adopted out. My mother's only brother, Jim 
Anderson, was married and had one daughter. They lived somewhere 
around Clarksville, Mo. Supposely his wife and her boy friend murdered 
him. They were convicted. They were found out through the daughter. 
Wish I could tell you more about these things. Maybe next summer when I 
come back from Texas I will do some investigating for you. Also, in the 
mean time I will question Sue [(Bishop) Edler] about some of this information. 
She is only eighteen months older then I am but maybe she will remember 
something I don't. 

Jane's [(Bishop) Matthews] body was cremated. I understand that was her wish.. 
I think most of her children were at services. Some have promised to come to 
family reunion next summer. I am really looking forward to seeing all 
of you there. That includes Ken [Lyle] Bishop. Are you reading Ken? 
My sister Betty's [(Bishop) Peters] youngest son Matt [Peters] got married in 
July. He works for Fed-X in Colorado. His E-mail address is mwpeters@fedex.com. 
Sue and I went to his wedding in Iowa.