I've got a lot of Black Cherry, they don't look like that. I did cut 2 small to medium-ish (8" or so dia) elms the other day that looked very similar. They were in my way getting to a downed Hackberry. To say they were a major pain to split doesn't even describe it...and this was with a hydraulic splitter. Yours look like they split nice and clean. I have seen something else that has bark similar to yours, but with a Hackberry look further up the tree and it's definitely not a Hackberry. I might snap a picture when I'm cutting Sunday. I was thinking they were in my way of something else, so maybe I'll cut them too and find out how they split.
The only other tree I've seen with similar bark is a young sweetgum and that isn't what you have. I have a good bit a smaller sized winged elm that is a dead ringer on that bark picture on my property. I'll snap some pictures tomorrow for reference
If I have enough time I'll cut one of these tomorrow as they aren't doing anything in the draw on the far side of my property. We can settle whether all elm is stringy
I think I've decided it's a water elm I missed this one in the book until I looked again this morning, the bark looks the same the under the bark description looks like it and the leaves are a match, and the forest description is exactly what it is growing in how bout it??
That looks about right. The ones I posted above are all growing in a creek/run off draw. as opposed to the winged-elm which grows more on brushy openings.
