Ruth's pedigree threads its way back through North Carolina to Scotland. She is part of the McDonald / Taylor Family that came to Tennessee and then to Illinois in the early 1800's. Although there is no genealogically sound proof of her direct connection; she is interwoven, inextricably, with that family. Ruth married Elijah Lacey in Illinois, Elijah's pedigree threads its way back through Kentucky and Tennessee to Virginia then England or Wales and is Norman in origin. They all came to Texas in the mid 1850's and settled between San Antonio, at LockeHill, and the edge of the frontier, Spring Creek, Gillespie County.
A suggestion: Download and print "A Chart of Individuals," it's a .pdf document some 20 pages long but it will help you get through the labyrinth. You will find it also in the McDonald-Taylor and Lacey folder.
There are three parts to this story and a very slim photo album as well as a simple genealogy chart.
The SC Cousins The McDonald, Lacey, Taylor familes
The Related Families and a couple of others
Before Texas Some McDonald, Lacey and Taylor ancestors
A photo album Not very complete
Spring Creek Cousins This is seperate from the main Gedcom, I made it first and you might enjoy a streamlined version.