Corning on the 4th (PDF)

by Donald Hooper, who writes:

"As way of background, my great great grandfather, Hiram T. Grayson, who served in the  57nd Indiana Volunteers during the Civil War, came to Clay County with his son James T. Grayson in the late 1890's.  After a short period of time Hiram returned to Indiana where he died in 1918.

James remained, operated a farm, and died in Clay County in 1925.  His Wife Rachel Z. A. (Cline) died in 1922 and is buried in Clay County.

My grandfather, Reuben Harrison Grayson, born in Indiana in 1888 married Tena E. Hildebrand in Clay County in 1907.  They remained residents of Clay County their entire life, and are buried in Williams Cemetery in Clay County.  Tena died in 1966 and Rueben Harrison died in 1968.

My mother, Carrie Grayson married Glen Hooper in Okean, AR in 1931.  I have a brother, Jimmie Lamar Hooper buried in Corning Cemetery.  He died in 1932.

My aunt, Margena Grayson Halferty lives in Poplar Bluff, MO and visits Corning from time to time.

The picture on page one of the .pdf is of my mother, Carrie, me, my daughter Elizabeth, and my grandson Nicholas standing in front of the house where I was born in 1934.  The picture was taken in 1991/92  Last time I was in Corning in the 2004 the home was still occupied."