I keep reading, hoping I will see something on my Hays family in the Ilchampa--I found my gggrandfather, Rankin Hays in champaign co. census in 1860, but nothing after that. In the 1860 census, it shows three children still in the home, elizabent, Angeline and Mary. Celia snyder sent me an article written about his son, John c. Hays, which said that Hannah Hays--wife of Rankin, died in 1860 and that he died in 1864--that is as much as I was able to find. I live on the west coast, so it is not easy to research in Illinois, but I was able to spend a few hours at the Urbana free library while traveling through last year. It showed rankin and Hannah with 3 farm hands, but couldn't find anything that he was a landowner. I am surmising that he may have been managing one of his son's farms?? Sarah Hays blackmore was a sister to rankin, and I have information that she was buried along side her infant son, Milton, in the Old bliss cemetery--I don't see her name in the transcription of that cemetery, and that her husband, Laban records blackmore, died in sidney Illinois. Children of Laban and sarah Hays blackmore were:--Milton, Orlando, Mary ann, Hays, Jane,William and Spencer Blackmore. Also listed in my papers is Jane Hays, married to John thompson--they were also in champaign co. children of John and Jane Hays thompson were:---Jackson, Jane T., John H., Letitia, william, Presley, Mary ann, David, and Elizabeth Thompson. There were still Hays family members in champaign co. in the early 1900's, and would appreciate hearing from anyone who might be connected to ANY Hays there to see if we can make a connection. Thank you, Shirley Taylor