Am looking for Atlee Benard, who owned and ran a dairy farm between 1870 and 1885. Our family's oral history says that Mr. Benard employed my g-grandfather James Leary (a.k.a. William James McCleery) in that time frame. I don't know where. The men became close friends.

After leaving Mr. Benard's employ (no later than 1885), my g-grandfather settled on the Brazos River near Houston. The 1901 Galveston hurricane spawned tornadoes and floods that wiped out everything my g-grandfather owned, and nearly killed him and his family. Mr. Benard drove a wagon-load of supplies to the area to help my g-grandfather and his family. My g-grandmother was six months pregnant (with my grandfather) at the time of the hurricane. In gratitude for Mr. Benard's help, she named the child Atlee Benard McCleery.

Any help in finding this good samaritan is appreciated.

Thank you.