This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.ford/5521/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Hello Ford List, This is a new effort to find the ancestors of Oscar Ford of Morris Co, NJ. Oscar Ford was a 70-year old widower (b. Oct 1829 NJ) living with his son William Henry Ford (b. Jun 1856) in the 1900 Essex County, NJ, census. Family tradition is that William was born in Parsippany, Morris County, NJ. I'm trying to find Oscar in the 1880-1850 censuses and have been unable to do so. I have Heritage Quest censuses. I found Oscar listed as a shoemaker in the 1898, 1899, 1900, & 1901 Newark city directories. Failing to find Oscar listed in the 1880 and previous censuses, I began looking for other Ford families where a son named William H. might be listed. (I've spent several years going meticulously through all the Fords in all the censuses.) I have found the following which I'm beginning to believe could be my William H. Why the father is named Austin, I don't know; and I don't know what William H.'s mother was named, nor the names of any of his siblings. 1880 NJ > Morris County > Hanover 32-33 - FORD, Austin, 50, NJ NJ NJ - Shoemaker Caroline, 48, NY NY NY Charles F., 21, NJ NJ NJ Iantha, 20, NJ NJ NY 1870 NJ > Morris County > Hanover Twp., Parsippany PO 513-545 - FORD, Austin, 39, Shoemaker, b. NJ Caroline, 37 NY Eugene, 17, NJ William, 15, NJ (correct age to be Oscar's son Wm H.) Charles, 11, NJ Iantha, 9, NJ I cannot find them in 1860 and 1850. Right now I'm ready to assume that Oscar and Austin are the same person but would like some proof! Is there anyone working on Fords in this county? I live several states away and have not been able to do any research in the county nor find anything online, i.e., marriage records, that would help. Suggestions? Dorann Lam