I started my search with so little information it's been next to impossible to come up with anything concrete. But, when I purchased Family Tree Maker, I searched for my James Andrew Carnahan and Lula Styers, but with no luck.The closest I came to Lula was a Lulu Styers in Arkansas. I was so new to geneology I did not check further.(I've since learned to check out all spellings of names and dates).For several years I searched ... and searched ... and searched, with no luck. All I had to go on were some "family stories" that were floating around, possible birth locations and approximate ages.My Dad said his mother, Lula Styers, was born in Bald Knob, Arkansas and eloped with my grandfather, James Andrew, when she was about 16 and James was 12-14 years older than her.My Dad thought his dad, James, was born in Port Huron, Michigan in 1880.In a family Bible my mom bought before I was born she had recorded the birth date of September 4, 1880 for my grandfather. My Dad also remembered that James had a brother named Joseph.Nothing much to go on on either side, but I decided to try and search anyway. After all this time of searching, I kept coming back to the Lulu Styers in Arkansas.I decided nothing else was working,so I would try and contact the person who had submitted the family tree with Lulu Styers.Lo and behold, I received a reply immediately from Bonnie, whose Dad was my Lula's half brother.Bonnie has been so kind in sharing what geneology she has with me.She sent me a letter she received in 1980 from Uncle Floyd, which confirmed that his sister, Lula, had married a Carnahan man.Another interesting twist in the letter was that Bonnie's dad, Walter C. Bates, had married a woman named Laura Carnahan, who was a widow with two small boys.She had been married to my grandfather's brother and they lived in Louisiana, but her husband had been killed.Uncle Floyd did not know or did not remember anything else about that incident.Right now I'm focusing on finding out what Carnahan Laura was married to and who her two boys were by that marriage.The answer to that would give me possibly another name in James' family. Geneology is full of twists and turns with each one leading off in a new direction.For newcomers to geneology, I would advise checking out all information that looks even a tiny bit hopeful. The search goes on for the family of James Andrew Carnahan. For a possible family connection on the Carnahan side, please see notes and geneology report for Ellias Carnahan on my page.If you think you may be related, please contact me.I'd love to share what information I have.As new information is gained, my page will be updated. Good luck in your hunt for your roots.
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