HELP!! As usual I am confused and need the help of clearer, wiser heads. I've always found them here and pray you all will come through as usual. I am trying to sort out my family lines that seem to cross and keep crossing. I've about decided that given enough time and info I'll be able to prove my relationship to everyone who lived in or around Cuba, IL in the latter half of the 19th C. I have the following: Polly SWEARINGEN [b. 1812, OH], d/o of Samuel SWEARINGEN & Mary WILSON, m. Spencer COOPER 24 Dec 1831, Adams Co., OH 1850 Canton, Fulton, Illinois Census lists Spencer COOPER household [71/76]: COOPER, Spencer, 43, male, farmer, b. KY; Mary COOPER, 38, female, b. OH; Jemima COOPER, 17, female, b. OH; Drucilla COOPER, 15, female, b. OH; George COOPER, 12, male, b. IL; Eliza T. COOPER, 10, female, b. IL; Isabell COOPER, 8, female, b. IL; Andrew COOPER, 5, male, b. IL; Mary C. COOPER, 1, female, b. IL; Sarah BISHOP, 19, female, b. OH Martha HILTON [b. 1815/1818, ME], d/o David HILTON & Elizabeth "Betsey" GRAY, m. Spencer COOPER 31 May 1851, Fulton Co., IL Martha COOPER m. George W. SHEAFF 2 Nov 1858, Fulton Co., IL Sarah Ann BISHOP, d/o William E. BISHOP & Catherine SWEARINGEN, m. David HILTON 1 Jan 1851, Fulton Co., IL [David and Martha HILTON were brother & sister] / Sarah Ann BISHOP was Polly (SWEARINGEN) COOPER's niece. What I'm thinking is that Sarah Ann was living with her aunt and uncle in 1850, possibly because her aunt was ill; that her Aunt Polly died and her Uncle Spencer then married David HILTON's sister Martha HILTON. Then Spencer died leaving Martha a widow and she married George SHEAFF in 1858. The problem is that I can't find Martha, George, or the younger COOPER children in 1860. Does someone out there know if my premise is correct and/or what happened to Martha, George, and Polly & Spencer's children. Thanks for your patience with me in my never ending confusion and for any help you can offer. Carol As ususal, Lost in Knoxville

Carol, I cannot be much help to you on any of this, but I am related to the Coopers that moved from Holmes Co., OH. to Fulton Co., IL. You can email me if you like at [email protected] Your names do not match my names, but who knows, they could be kin. Good luck in your searches! Amy -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, August 03, 2003 8:20 PM To: Subject: [ILFULTON] Martha HILTON - Spencer COOPER HELP!! As usual I am confused and need the help of clearer, wiser heads. I've always found them here and pray you all will come through as usual. I am trying to sort out my family lines that seem to cross and keep crossing. I've about decided that given enough time and info I'll be able to prove my relationship to everyone who lived in or around Cuba, IL in the latter half of the 19th C. I have the following: Polly SWEARINGEN [b. 1812, OH], d/o of Samuel SWEARINGEN & Mary WILSON, m. Spencer COOPER 24 Dec 1831, Adams Co., OH 1850 Canton, Fulton, Illinois Census lists Spencer COOPER household [71/76]: COOPER, Spencer, 43, male, farmer, b. KY; Mary COOPER, 38, female, b. OH; Jemima COOPER, 17, female, b. OH; Drucilla COOPER, 15, female, b. OH; George COOPER, 12, male, b. IL; Eliza T. COOPER, 10, female, b. IL; Isabell COOPER, 8, female, b. IL; Andrew COOPER, 5, male, b. IL; Mary C. COOPER, 1, female, b. IL; Sarah BISHOP, 19, female, b. OH Martha HILTON [b. 1815/1818, ME], d/o David HILTON & Elizabeth "Betsey" GRAY, m. Spencer COOPER 31 May 1851, Fulton Co., IL Martha COOPER m. George W. SHEAFF 2 Nov 1858, Fulton Co., IL Sarah Ann BISHOP, d/o William E. BISHOP & Catherine SWEARINGEN, m. David HILTON 1 Jan 1851, Fulton Co., IL [David and Martha HILTON were brother & sister] / Sarah Ann BISHOP was Polly (SWEARINGEN) COOPER's niece. What I'm thinking is that Sarah Ann was living with her aunt and uncle in 1850, possibly because her aunt was ill; that her Aunt Polly died and her Uncle Spencer then married David HILTON's sister Martha HILTON. Then Spencer died leaving Martha a widow and she married George SHEAFF in 1858. The problem is that I can't find Martha, George, or the younger COOPER children in 1860. Does someone out there know if my premise is correct and/or what happened to Martha, George, and Polly & Spencer's children. Thanks for your patience with me in my never ending confusion and for any help you can offer. Carol As ususal, Lost in Knoxville ______________________________

Carol, 1860 Illinois, Fulton Co, Putnam Twp, Cuba, page 317 (ages don't quite match, but the names did) Betsy HILTON, 45yo, born in Maine Martha SHEAF, 66yo, born in Maine (no George SHEAF/SHEAFF/SHAEF/SHAEFF) ----------------------------- 1860 Illinois, Fulton Co, Liverpool HUFFMAN Jacob, 32yo, KY, Farmer DRUCILLA, 24yo, OH George, 6yo, IL Mary, 3yo, IL Malinda, 1yo, KS COOPER, Geo W, 22yo, born in IL, farmer (pauper) ------------------------------ 1860 Illinois, Fulton Co, Putnam Twp (Actually enumerated twice with a slight variation in the age info - this entry is much clearer and easier to read) HILTON David, 38yo, OH, Farmer Sarah, 30yo, OH Cyrus, 7yo, IL George, 4yo, IL Henry, 3yo, IL Mary, 11/12, IL ------------------------------- I can't find anything in the other Cooper childrens names. Cathy