The Mystery of the "E"

     Skeletons. Closets. Farmersville, TX.  This tiny farming community became home to great-great grandfather Jay Horn and wife Samuel Eliza Lansford (Rike)Horn.  Genealogy records indicate they called her "Sammie."  She was the wife of Lewis Rike, brother of GW Rike, son of Robert A. Rike.  GW Rike, RA Rike, and Jay Horn, Sr. owned the first herds of cattle brought to the Farmersville area.  Lewis died young and three years later, Sammie married Jay Horn.  My grandfather, Claude Garland Horn(e), was one of their children.

     Claude set out for Camden, Arkansas (why, I do not know), arriving there in 1906.  His brother Samuel Lansford Horn (Sam) came with him.  Claude was 21 and Sam was 17.  Both became prominent businessmen in Camden.  Claude won the prize, however, marrying the youngest of the Gordon Girls and the last to marry, my grandmother, Mildred. The mystery remains:  why did Claude add the "e" to the spelling of Horn?
      A family split makes for a good story, but that does not seem the case, as my mother tagged around with, idolized, and absolutely adored Uncle Sam's daughter, Mildred, named for her mother.  Beautiful and popular Mildred died at age 19 or 20 from measles' complications. Her brothers Sammy and Billy Horn lived, worked, and raised children in Camden, but the women and girls did not socialize much at all. The men (Daddy, my Uncle Gordon, Sammy, Billy, and their other-cousin John Ritchie) enjoyed hunting, fishing, and camping trips. (According to legend, they did some hunting and fishing on their drinking trips.) I remember Susan (Mibby-Sue/ Mildred Susan) and DJ (Dorothy Jane/ Janie) slightly. Trying to form a relationship, even on Facebook, can be a challenge.  Who has ownership of all the photos of Grandaddy's side of the family? Where are the photos of Uncle Sam's family members?
     Family Mysteries are good fodder for writing, but could be solved if all the cousins could manage to join forces, share memories, and ultimately uncover the photos. Maybe we could solve the Mystery of the "E."