This is what's wonderful about talking to people that know the history of the war. What you say about traveling to Arkansas rang a bell; my gggrandfather Peter Rice was married in Callaway County in 1858; their first boy was born in Texas (1859) according to the census; their second was born in Callaway County; their third (my ggrandfather) in Benton County, Arkansas in 1861. In 1862 they sell their farm in Callaway County to a cousin; my ggrandmother and the 3 children wind up on the 1870 census with her parents; she then married again in 1876 and we can find no record anywhere of a divorce between her and Peter. We've always suspected that all this - the traveling and then the separation - held some key to what was going on with this family. My gggrandfather Thomas (Jane's father) was in the Union Army so I suppose they could no longer associate. Can you lead me to further reading because I'd really like to read the history in more detail. Thanks again so much, nellyb