You have done so much for me over the years that I wanted to pitch out some ideas where you MAY find a picture of Confederate Colonel Robert Ralston Lawther. I read his one-paragraph bio. in Bruce Allardice's 2008 "Confederate Colonels" which gives some good leads. I don't recall seeing a picture of Col. Lawther myself.

I would skip looking in Warren County, Pennsylvania, since a delegation of that community's fine citizens requested he leave when he attempted to return to his home county after the war--and he did leave. So, I wouldn't expect to find a statue of Bob in front of the courthouse there, would you? Likewise nix the idea of a street named after him, too.

I read in Allardice that he was a grocer in Jefferson City, Cole County, MO just before the war. But, I suppose with the radical northerners in power through the early 1870's, and Jeff City being the state capital and a home of lots of politicians that Bob would not want to return there, either. I may be surprised, but I don't think Jeff City would have his pic.

Since Bob was a commander of Missouri Confederates, you may wish to check with the Missouri State Historical Society in Columbia on the Missouri University campus in the lower floor of Ellis Library.

I see that COL Lawther was paroled in Galveston, TX 20 June 1865, and Allardice hints Lawther was a grocer there for a while. Galveston wouldn't turn Bob out for being a Confederate colonel. You may inquire with the local historical or genealogical society there just on the chance they happen to have a cartes des visit of the Pennsylvanian colonel. Or, maybe they know somebody who has one.

Bruce Allardice also mentioned Bob lived for a while in Brenham, TX--wherever that is. Find out the county, then go to your local library and look it up in their copy of "The Genealogist's Address Book" or whatever version of that they have in the reference section. If the county that surrounds Brenham also has a historical and/or genealogical society, they may be able to help you.

I saved the best for last. Bob Lawther also was a grocer in Dallas in his last years, was an alderman there, too, and died in Dallas 1 October 1911, and is buried in Oakland Cemetery in Dallas (He was born Warren Co. PA on 21 January 1836, by the way). Dallas County has by reputation one of the finest genealogical sections in their big public library. I would imagine Dallasites are also blessed with a truly wonderful genealogical society, or maybe three of them. Further, you may also get a kind soul to go to the cemetery and shoot a picture of Lawther's tombstone with a digital camera for you. Not as good as a picture of the guy, but it may be nice to have for whatever project you have in mind.

Bob may have an obituary in "Confederate Veteran" about a month or five after he died in 1911, and maybe, maybe the obit also has his picture. You could check there, too.

And, Clark, thanks for all the help you have given me. I truly appreciate it.

Bruce Nichols