Looking to make contact with anyone researching Cassius M. HALK. He was born about 1848 in Mississippi to Issac HALK - b. abt 1821 Alabama - & Mary WAITS. (This was Mary's second marriage, her first was to Lilburn BARNES.) Mary was born about 1813 in Georgia. Her parents were John B. WAITS and Mariam CYEMPKA.

Cassius was enumerated on the 1850 census for Hot Spring County, Arkansas with his parents, his BARNES step-siblings and an infant sister named Mary. The baby apparently did not survive infancy as she was not listed on the census for 1860.

The family was still in Hot Spring County in 1860. Isaac was listed as a carpenter, his step-son William BARNES was a wagonmaker and step-daughter Arvazena BARNES was a schoolteacher.

Cassius later followed Arvazena into teaching, because in 1870 (still in Hot Spring County) he was listed as School Master. Isaac was running a hotel where he, Mary and Cassius lived. Also living there was Mary's daughter, Talitha BARNES and her husband, Allen YARBROUGH and their children.

I've totally lost the family after 1870. I have heard that Mary WAITS BARNES HALK was alive in 1880 and is buried in Craighead County, Arkansas, but I cannot find evidence of this. Mary's eldest daughter, Mary Jane, was living in Ozark County, Missouri with her husband and family. But as for the rest of the family, they seem to have disappeared.

I have a photo of Mary WAITS BARNES HALK and will be happy to share info!