Debbie Geer Your suggestions for further research to locate our missing Isaac/Isahia/Josiah/Ezra Boone are very helpful.. Particularly in this case. In the chain of documentation for the wife ,Caroline Boone. there is a pension application form and the line for spouse says "abandoned family" . However this is not evident or repeated on any later documents. Also our Mr. "X" Boone disappears from census and Madison Indiana about 1849 . That would coincide with the Gold Rush period when 80,000 men went to California and many did not return. This scenario would support your comments about children not knowing the actual name of their father. As always every little bit helps in our research and we appreciate your input. Arthur Bartlett Artbart@xlence.com