Morning, Thanx for the response. I've amassed a lot of info in my search for descendents of Benajah F FAY, going back about a year. In answer to some of your questions, I have access to all the state census up to 1840, I believe, where I do most of my research. I do not know, however, which states are indexed at the library. If Pennsylvania is indexed I can check the 1830 census for you. Same goes for other states. In regards to the lack of info on the census prior to 1850, I'm afraid that on the Federal Census, all they initially wanted was head of households, and numbers of persons in certain age groups and sexes. It wasn't until 1850 when they started asking for names of others living in a household. The more recent the census the more info they ask for. Case in point, on the 1880 Federal Census, they ask for birthplaces of parents as well. 1880 was also the year the Federal Census started asking for relationship to head of household. For Ohio, 1880 is the last year which is indexed. I cannot say whether various State Census asked for more info than the Federal Census did. The State of Ohio is one of the states that does not and did not do a State Census. I am sure there are others here who help explain more about the census, but I recommend "The Genealogists Companion & Sourcebook" by Emily Croom. It has a whole section just on the census, with the copies of the forms. I just picked up the book myself two days ago.. Hope that explains some, Jim SHREVE Sr. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Margaret Pincock" <mpincock@casagrande.com> To: <FAY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, July 16, 2000 10:16 PM Subject: [FAY] Census > Jim is doing such a great job reporting his serches on the census records, I wish he had access to the Penn 1830, Mo. 1820-50 > Iowa !850. I have a question; in the NY and O. Census in the early 1830-50 does the records show the head of the household. > If so I noticed a Levi Fay listed and wondered where he reported his birth-place, also I saw a Martha listed I am searching for the family of Joseph Fay in which Martha is assumed the mother and Levi is a son. We had Joseph and family in Penn about 1830 but it doesn't list names just numbers but on a later census in Iowa Levi lists his place of birth as Penn.Hopefully you can answer some in my questions. Keep up the great work Jim. > Margaret Pincock