Craig, thanks for the quick responses and I fully enjoyed the "book"! As always in this game, every answer tends to bring up another question. Can you put an approximate date on the debacle on the Nueces River? This fellow in question was supposedly born in Missouri, but all his children were born in Texas, beginning about 1860. It's looking more and more like this Mayes is the one, just going by geography. His daughter, my G-grandmother, was born in Atascosa Co. in 1862, according to the best information I have found so far. After that time, the family moved to the Hays- Blanco-Llano Co. area and they are HARD to find up there in the hills!
By the way, I'm in Uvalde Co. and in all these years I don't recall any historian relating the story of that battle, massacre, or whatever. It's another one for me to study on. Thanks again. Lois