“I wanted to know where I came from and who my ancestors were,” Ms. Minor said. “I wanted to know what all they did and where we are going now.”

Twenty-five years later she has accumulated more than 200 files in two enormous three-ring binders. They contain family photos, birth and death certificates, photos of family cemetery plots, news clippings, and family documents and memorabilia.

The book - “Hispanic Families of Bell County: descendents of Magdalena and Severa Ramirez” - begins with two sisters who came to the United States in the early 20th century from Mexico. They were her great-grandmother Magdalena Ramirez Vargas and her great-aunt Severa Ramirez.

“I’m sure they came here for a better life for themselves and their families,” Ms. Minor said.

The story begins with Magdalena and traces through seven generations to Ms. Minor.

Magdalena was born in Lagunilla Parras de la Fuente in the state of Coahuilla, Mexico, in 1882. Her husband, Leonardo Vargas, was born there in the same year, Ms. Minor said.

The two later divorced and Magdalena moved to Kenedy in 1914 and remarried there in 1919. In the course of a second divorce and a third marriage she had many children and grandchildren. Ms. Minor said she descends from Magdalena through her grandmother, Juanita Vargas.

During her third marriage, Magdalena moved to Belton in 1920. She died in Belton in 1953 and is buried at the North Belton Cemetery.

Ms. Minor said her great-grandfather Leonardo Vargas remained in Mexico and died at Piedras Negras in 1956.

“He visited in Texas frequently throughout his life to visit his children and grandchildren,” Ms Minor said.

Ms. Minor said she had two breaks in her research and oddly enough both happened at her places of employment. In the 1980s she worked at the Belton City Library - now the Lena Armstrong Library. There she met historian E.A. Limmer who edited and compiled “The Story of Bell County.”

She said Limmer wanted to know more about her research.

“He was intrigued that I was working on a book on genealogy about a Belton family and was very supportive and gave me some suggestions,” Ms. Minor said. “He was an inspiration to my collecting all the information so it could be put into a book.”

Today, Ms. Minor is an LVN at Weston Inn Health Center, where she works as a charge nurse. She said two years ago she had the good fortune to meet a cousin - Helen Vargas Trevino - who happened to be a resident there in rehab at the time.

“I walked in to introduce myself and we knew we were related,” Ms. Minor said.

“Her nephew Alex Trevino has been very helpful in providing photographs and has loaned me more than 100 to copy,” she said. “But that is typical of the support I’ve had from all my family.”

She said Ms. Trevino organized a family reunion September of this year and more than 100 family members attended.

“They were all excited about the book and wanted to know more,” Ms. Minor said. “Everyone had to look at the research material.”

Some of it has a poignant quality. Joe G. Luna, Ms. Minor’s uncle, served in World War II and was captured by the Germans. She has a file of correspondence sent home by Mr. Luna. Along with it is his U.S. Army dog tags and his German dog tags he was required to wear to identify him as being held in Stalag 324 - a prisoner of war camp for enlisted personnel.

She has notes home to parents sent by way of the American Red Cross.

“Nov, 26, 1944 - Dear Dad. I am OK. Hope you are the same. I am getting along fine. Say dad, don’t worry about me. I’ll make it OK. Don’t try to write me here. Sending my love, your son. Joe. Say Dad, Tell mother not to worry about me for I was born lucky and I hope I stay that way until I get home anyway. Well tell all the folks I am well. All my love to you and mother, Joe.”

There is a letter from the American Red Cross dated May 25, 1945. It says, “Dear Mrs. Luna: We had a telegram this afternoon requesting that we notify you that Pfc. Joe C. Luna has been liberated. We rejoice with you in this good news, and if we can be of any assistance to you in the future please call on us.”

There are memos mailed to the Luna family from ham radio operators during 1944 and 1945 who have intercepted radio reports from Germany. They tell of Joe Luna being held captive but in good health and good spirits.

“Uncle Joe died in 1970,” Ms. Minor said. “I was only 4 years old and have no memories of him.”

The file from his military jacket has let her know so much about him, though.

Ms. Minor said her sources for information have been county clerks, libraries, cemetery records, newspaper articles and the Internet.

Her family has provided much to her, she said. She would ask questions and relatives would come up with stories. Then they would dig in drawers and boxes and out would come old photos.

“Relatives are always telling me I have some traits that remind them of someone in the family,” she said, laughing softly.

She hopes to have her material finished by the end of the year. She said she will meet with Eakin Press in Waco to discuss the format for publishing the book and hopefully have it off the press in March.

“I’ll hold a big reunion,” she said, laughing. “I could send as many as 1,500 invitations out.”

Ms. Minor said she will donate a book to the Bell County Museum and another to the Lena Armstrong Library.