Hello Merritt Henry Cave born 1852 in Clarence, Pettis County, Missouri to parents yet unproved ????? married Jennie Swisher (born 1857 in Virginia) October 16, 1877 in Brown County Illinois Children proved: Jennie Caves was 21 when their 1st child was born, Charles Absolum Caves born September 19, 1878 in Concord Twp, Adams County Illinois, 2nd birth Unnamed Male Child Born November 17, 1880 in Cooperstown, Brown County Illinois, Bert Cave born November 27, 1885 in Liberty, Adams County Illinois, 3rd birth Hettie R. Caves born abt 1890 in Missouri (according to Brown County Illinois marriage license dated March 26, 1908 to Charles Eakins of Ottumwa Wapello Co Iowa. Also on marriage license is her parents listed as being M. Caves and Jennie Cooper), and then there is Martie W. Caves, my grandfather, who, well, lets see, stated he was born April 18, 1890 in Pine Bluff Arkansas, stated he was born April 18, 1890 in Popular Bluff Arkansas, the 1900 Census of Adams County has him as grandson to Absolum S. Swisher and being born in March of 1888 and... lastly, Martie W. Caves put on his marriage license to Beulah Estella Simmons in Knox County Illinois that he was 22 when he was married in 1915, giving him a birth date in 1893 in Pine Bluff Arkansas. So your guess is as good as mine, but, he died in 1954, the year I was born and is buried in the Abington Cemetery, Abington Illinois. Merritt Cave, age 25, born in Missouri, White, as listed in 1880 Census Residing with wife Jenny, born in Virginia, Child, Charles A. Cave, age 2, born in Illinois, Residing in Butler County, Missouri in 1880 Black River Vol. 4 - ED 4, page 5, line 20 1860 Census, for Missouri Examined: Josephine Cave, age 13 Merit Cave, age 8, born in Missouri Residing in St. Clair County, Missouri in 1860 Speedwell Twp. Page 974 -104 line 17 Enumerated with Charles F. Ashworth, age 22, born in Virginia (Notes: This may have been from Merit's father dying when he was young, resulting in Merit and his sister Josephine residing with Charles F. Ashworth) Charles F. Ashworth married Martha Ann Cave, thus Josephine and Merritt are most likely siblings of Martha Ann Cave.) October 16, 1877 in Brown County Illinois. Merit H. Cave of St. Clair Co. Missouri Deeded 120 acres Certificate #55932 Dated 1859, So this has to be a Merritt H. Cave, Sr. and not a 7 year old man. But is this the Merritt H. Cave that married Catherine Rush in Monroe County Missouri on June 21, 1835? To examine if this is Merrit H. Cave who married Catherine Rush, I turned to the 1850 and 1880 Census below, especially noting Catherine and Gabriel, then looking at the location of Pettis County Missouri in 1850. Note: Catherine Rush is connected to Gabriel Rush, and is daughter of Garland Rush. Garland Rush died in 1820, when Catherine Rush was only 3 years of age, and she went to live with Garland Rush's brother Gabriel. It is a highly likely conclusion that she would then name her son after the man who raised her. 1880 Census Butler County, Missouri CAVE, Gabriel; Age: 41; Born: Missouri; Color: white; Relationship: head; 1850 CAVE , Jane D. ; Age: 35 ; Born: Missouri ; Color: white ; Relationship: wife CAVE , Sarah C. ; Age: 15 ; Born: Missouri ; Color: white ; Relationship: daughter CAVE , John R. ; Age: 13 ; Born: Missouri ; Color: white ; Relationship: son CAVE , Joseph A. ; Age: 10 ; Born: Missouri ; Color: white ; Relationship: son CAVE , Charles M. ; Age: 5 ; Born: Missouri ; Color: white ; Relationship: son Location: Butler Co. ; Volume: 41; E.D.: 11; Page: 19; Line: 16; ------------------------------1850 Census Below-------------------------------------------------- CAVE, Catherine; Age: 33; Born: KY CAVE, Gabriel; Age: 12; Born: MO; CAVE, Martha A.; Age: 7; Born: MO CAVE, Susan F.; Age: 6; Born: MO CAVE, Margaret; Age: 3; Born: MO CAVE, James R.; Age: 1; Born: MO Location: Pettis Co., 68th Dist.; LDS Volume: 443617; Page: 112A/223; Line 24 Martha Ann Cave, Age 7, MO (above) >1860 St. Clair Co., MO Census: Charles F. Ashworth 22 [1838] b VA >Speedwell Twp Josephine Cave 13 [1847] >p 974-104 Merit Cave 8 [1852] Charles Ashworth - actual name is : Charles Fenton Mercer Ashworth. (Married Martha Ann Cave November 23, 1856 in St. Clair MO) 10/11/1850 Census - St. Clair Co., Mo., 79th District #356-356 Ashworth, Lewis R. ,44, born Va., School Teacher, Rev 100 (md. within the year) Minerva ,22, " Tenn. Cotesworth P. ,17, " Va., farmer Fenton M. ,14, " Va. (Note: Fenton M(ercer) ***************** Amelia C. ,12, " Va. Susan K. ,10, " Mo. Eloisa J. ,08, " " Martha M.C. ,06, " " Singleton C. ,04, " " Basey, Nancy ,40, " Mexico 1840 RIVES CO., MO: Louis Ashworth 20-30 1810-20 p 367-3 1 Female 20-30 1810-20 Monegaw Twp. 2 Males 5-10 1830-35 (On line) 2 Males 0-5 1835-40 1850 ST. CLAIR CO., MO: Lewis R. Ashworth 44 1806 VA p 139 Minerva 22 1828 TN (St. Louis GS Soc) Cotesworth P. 17 1833 VA Fenton M. 14 1836 VA (Note Fenton M(ercer) Amelia C. 12 1838 VA Susan K. 10 1840 MO Eloisa J. 8 1842 MO Martha M.C. 6 1844 MO Singleton C. 4 1846 MO But, what about the other Merit Cave marriages??? Who are they, and who are their descendants? Pettis County Missouri is the key, I know this now, having found a document stating that the Merritt Henry Cave that married Jennie Swisher was born in Clarence Pettis County Missouri. 1. Merit H. Cave m Catherine Rush 21 Jun 1835, Monroe, MO 2. Merrit H. Cave m Mary Ann Earles 14 May 1861, St. Clair, MO (Is this the second marriage for the Merit H. Cave who married Catherine Rush?) 1b. Merrott Cave m Fannie Geary 23 Jun 1872, Pettis, MO (Is this the first marriage of the same Merritt Henry Cave who married Jennie Swisher in 1877?) ?? Merit Cave m Mary M. Duncan 18 Mar 1874, Hickory, MO (And exactly who is this?) 2b. Merritt Cave m Jennie Swisher October 16, 1877 Brown Co Illinois So as you can see, I am clearly lost and looking for a nibble of a lead. And it may be that all these marriages above are sons of various children of Merit H. Cave and Catherine Rush. I need to find out who the parents are of a Donna Mae Caves who is suppose to be still living, married, in the Ottumwa, Wapella County Iowa area. She "might" hold the key, if I can learn who her parents are. It is now my belief that the descendants stayed close to cousins or half siblings, but they are scattered thru the midwest, possibly even to California. And it is this highly fragmented family tree that my mom's brother Ernest Caves of Galesburg goes to the Library Computer regularly to make sure nobody is making progress in rebuilding the family tree. Why? He did extensive research in the 1940's and 1950's... as well as states he was given a documented family tree, but told never to share it with anyone. And my friends, that makes me want to work even harder... So I will keep buying birth, marriage and death certificates of all the Cave/Caves in the areas I find new ones, so that "we" can rebuild this family tree as best we can. And as you know, I'll share it all..openly, even give you the certificates of ones that are in your direct line, that I don't connect to. What do you think? Have I proved the connection to Merritt H. Cave and Catherine Rush? Lastly, if you read this all the way to here, and have been following or helping me in any way, shape or form, THANK YOU. Thomas W. Rogers P. O. Box 85 Deer Creek, Illinois 61733