This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: JRay38M Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.adams/14698.1.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: With the earlier census you need to look for collateral names you know of that associated/married into those families as they normally went where they already knew someone... People didn't often venture out to an unknown territory knowing no one. You have to also do some math on them knowing the years they were born (aprx) as well as the childrens ages and follow several census. Personal property tax lists I hear are a wonderful aid to all this. I am not well versed on them myself as of yet. You can check those against possible deeds as well. Look in chancery suits (court documents) and the wills of father in laws etc. They often mention things like "my son" (meaning son in law's) husband of my daughter etc. Start from where you know he WAS and look for Personal property tax lists, deeds, etc. Always research other families connected. I've found amazing line connections that way. Always consider misspellings of the last names. Although Adams is pretty easy and gen! erally not messed up much in translating but with other names like Devault... or Greer.... look for things like Grier or Grur (someone mistaking the two ee's for a u or something) or Devault as maybe Devall etc. Old handwriting is sometimes hard to decipher not to mention census takers often wrote it phonetically as their spelling wasn't the best as they were usually in that profession because they could read and write. Also, how WE generally pronounce a name isn't sometimes how THEY pronounced it. For example... my Meadows has been found as Meddor, Meade etc. Look for guardian records as well if perhaps the parents died when there were minor children someone would have been appointed guardian. Children were also considered "orphans" even if mom was still alive. Look also for Estate Inventories and Wills. You can often find names of relatives and neighbors in the sale of the estates sometimes. If they had to pay off debts by holding an estate sale often relatives wo! uld buy up stuff. They will list debts owed to certain people too. Y ou very much have to research friends and relatives around them. Sometimes check a will of a brother in law etc... or a son.... for things like "land given me by my father in located in the county of ....." things like that. Leave no stone unturned as they say. Never know from under what rock you'll turn up a piece of gold! Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.