Don't give up on finding your ancestors! You just never know when one will fall out of the tree! Just post... post... and post everything you know. Eventually, someone will contact you with more information. I've been looking for over 2 years for my Bauers, and just now have begun to shake them out of the tree! I have found them listed as anything, looking or sounding, like Bauer! In the 1850 Stephenson County, Illinois Census, under the indexed name of "Baner" is my John Bauer. They were living in the town of Freeport in Illinois next to the brother of Margaret Eber-Bauer. A cousin found them, I don't know how but she did! Who would have thought of looking under "Baner" for "Bauer"? By the way, this cousin contacted me through a posting I made on the "Genforum", and we have made great progress on tracing this line! This Bauer family came from Darmstadt Germany, and first settled in Canton, Stark County, Ohio. So, based on the 1850 census, I'm guessing they lived there for at least 13 years. Their migration path appears to be: Before 1830 - Darmstadt, Germany possibly near the community of Eberstadt Bet 1830-1847 - Stark County Ohio By 1850 - Freeport, Stephenson County, Illinois By 1858 - Caseyville, St. Clair County, Illinois By 1863 - Nauvoo County, Illinois. By 1870 - Pike County, Missouri between 1870 and 1888 they migrated through St. Louis and Kansas City Missouri. I'm not sure yet if they lived there or just travelled through there. By 1889 - Emporia Kansas By 1900's - Topeka Kansas. ************************* 1850 Stephenson County, State of Illinois, Census: John Bauer, 45, M, Boot and Shoe Dealer, born in Germany Margaret, 39, F, born in Germany John, 16, M, Clerk, born in Ohio Helena (?), F, 14, born in Ohio Caroline, 13, F, born in Ohio Florindina,7, F, born in Ohio Augustus,6, M, born in Ohio Philip, 3, M, born in Ohio Next door is Margaret's brother: Jacob Eber, 36, M, Farmer, born in Germany Frederica, 24, F, born in Germany Amelia (?), 5, F, born in Ohio Ferdinand (?), 3, M, born in Ohio Please feel free to contact me if any of this sounds familiar! Sharon Johnson Yuba City, CA