This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: lindalew Surnames: Wells Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/topics.researchresources.lookups.lookups/2889.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: As I'm sure you know there are tons of errors in the census. You might feel like you don't have a lot of info, but compared to what some people know about their ancestors, you have a lot; especially dates & places. 1) you can send for original SS application; it will give where born. Don't need SS # if you have full name & date of birth. 2) you can get a copy of marriage certificate; they usually show place of birth 3) if Theodore died at a VA hospital, he was either in the military or worked for US government in some capacity that would allow him use of VA hospital. That means there are records somewhere. 1930 census asks if he was a vet & census says "no". For all practical purposes, he would have been too old for WWII. 4) 1900 census Clinto Iowa for Wilber & Ida show all older silbings of Theodore born in Iowa. 5) There's a 1915 Iowa census card for Ida Wells, 43, widow, Clinton, b IL, parents b IL, value of farm $200, religion=Episcopale (that's how card spells it). Asks "how many yrs in US"; answer: 43. Asks "how many yrs in Iowa"; answer=35 6) 1920 Clinton Iowa shows Ida remarried & list a son, Clarence Wells 19 b Iowa; Theodore Wells 16 says b IL. That could just be an error by census enumerator-just mixed up Illinois & Iowa. 7) in 1903 municipalities were just getting into birth certificates. Remember, everything was done by hand. Reports to city/county/state could have been done as frequently as every week or as infrequently as quarterly; that breeds lots of errors/omissions. If born at home, might not be reported for ages (if at all; My grandma b 1905 had to get a "delayed" birth certicate when she applied for a SS card--she'd been born at home & no birth certificate issued in 1905 for her even though they technically were required as of 1900-01 in PA) 8.) Since you have a date of death, you could contact a local Iowa newspaper & have them check archives (there could be a fee). Local libraries also could have these. Just remember death info is not always too accurate as you don't know how knowledgable the person was who gave the info. I personally find death info to be the least accurate, as a rule. 9) cannot find any of this family in 1910 census; very strange 10) maybe Theodore went be a nickname or his middle name... Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.