The Ledbetter Family History
East Texas — Ten Generations
This site is a private family archive documenting the Ledbetter, Morris, Craig, Thompson, McAdams, and allied families. From 1690s Wales and North Carolina, through the Texas Revolution and pioneer settlements of Walker and Milam Counties, to modern Austin. Explore the interactive family tree, read biographical pages, and browse family photographs and documents.
Margaret McDuffie with daughter Barbara, 1936
The Family Lines
Six interconnected families spanning three centuries, linked by marriage and migration across the American South and Southwest.
Ledbetter Line
Col. John Jackson Ledbetter Jr. Engineers, lawyers, soldiers. Missouri to El Paso to Austin.
Morris Line
William Airly Morris to James Walter Morris. Farmers, teachers, barbers. North Carolina to East Texas.
Thompson / McAdams
Pioneer settlers of Walker County. Sam Houston's neighbors. Scotland, Ireland, Tennessee to Texas.
Craig / McDuffie
Margaret Alline Morris, the family historian. Stories and Poems. The bridge between Morris and Ledbetter.
Key Sources
Stories and Poems
110-page family history by Margaret Alline Morris Craig, tracing the Morris, Thompson, McAdams, Bankhead, and Nobles lines from North Carolina to East Texas.
Col. John Jackson Ledbetter Jr. — Facts and Photos
Biography and genealogy of Col. John Jackson Ledbetter Jr. (1901–1963) — engineer, attorney, and Army officer. Includes four generations of descendants.
The Ledbetter Diaries
First-person diary entries by J.J. Ledbetter from 1928 to 1961 — a remarkable window into Depression-era Texas, wartime service, and daily life.