Hi--I'll add m;y 2 cents to the question of where Joseph Mansfiled James was and why he doesn't turn up on the census. First, Yes, there IS a soundex listing for the 1880 IL census--I've used it several times. Second, I have been told that the 1880 soundex ONLY includes listings of families that had children under the age of 10 at the time. Therefore, you could find his wife if she were living with someone with children, or if she had one of her own by then. You would not find her husband anywhere if he was living alone, or in a boarding house while looking for land or a new place to live. Hope this makes things a little clearer, if not easier. Debbie