This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: ArthurBurch308 Surnames: BURCH, CORNELIUS, MARCHAM, JENKINS, CECIL Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.illinois.counties.clinton/430.1.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I don't think it's unusual for your father to be named after his maternal grandparents ... many people used this naming technique. In my case, I've often thought it unusual that my aunt (Ruby Cornelius BURCH) had a masculine middle name. When I saw your posting about your CORNELIUS ancestors, I immediately considered the possibility of a marriage among our ancestors, especially since both families seem to have migrated from Virginia to Clinton Co., Illinois. I've spent the last couple of days, researching your CORNELIUS ancestry ... trying to find some clue to a possible link to my BURCH's. I've gone over the Census Records for 1840-1920, but so far nothing to help me. I did notice a couple of things, though, that may help you, but you've probably already noticed them yourself. 1) The 1840 Census for Clinton Co. lists J.W. CORNELIUS (age 40-50), 1 male (under 5), 1 male (5-10), and 1 female (20-30). 2) The 1850 Census for Clinton Co. lists John MARCHAM (age 40), Mary MARCHAM (age 34), George CORNELIUS (age 18), and Joseph CORNELIUS (age 14). 3) I think it's pretty obvious that George and Joseph are sons of J.W. CORNELIUS. My questions: Is Mary MARCHAM the woman you mentioned as maybe J.W.'s wife (her age fits)? If so, what do you make of the apparent 20 year difference in their ages? Maybe Mary was a 2nd wife, and possibly step-mother of George and Joseph. Did J.W. die between 1840-1850, and she re-married John MARCHAM? 4) The 1860 Census for Clinton Co. lists Joseph CORNELIUS living with James and Mary JENKINS. I didn't find George? 5) The 1870 Census for Clinton Co. lists Joseph, with wife Martha, and children Daniel and Mary. 6) The 1880 Census for Clinton Co. lists Martha (Joseph died in 1876) with 6 children: D.J., Mary, B., Joni, Robert, & Katie, with Anna CECIL (can't read this relationship). In your message, you include Anna CECIL as one of Daniel's siblings, along with Barney, Josephine, Robert, Mary, Gracie, Ben, and Katie (making a total of 9 children). Joseph's obituary mentions only 5 children (Katie born after he died?). It's obvious that D.J. is Daniel, Mary is Mary, and Robert is Robert. Joni is probably Josephine, but where do the others fit in? The 1880 Census has B., but is this Barney or Ben, and I see no Gracie? Did Joseph and Martha have these other children, who died/missed the Census? 7) So far, I haven't found any of these CORNELIUS's in the 1900 Census, but found Daniel and his family in Evansville, Indiana in 1910 and 1920. According to these Census', Daniel and Ella apparently were in Colorado, where their 1st daughter was born. I don't know whether any of this helps you or not, but hopefully it does. If you can share any further info about your CORNELIUS ancestry, I would greatly appreciate hearing from you again. I would especially appreciate anything you might come across that would suggest a BURCH-CORNELIUS connection. Thanks for anything you can share. Art Burch 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.