This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.illinois.counties.hancock/3349.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: The William Ross you have found on the 1850 & 1860 IL Hancock Co Census was my GGGgrandfather. Note that the 1840 census indicates he had 6 daughters and 3 sons. The 1850 census names 5 of those daughters, all 3 sons, plus 2 sons and 1 daughter born after 1840. This leaves one daughter missing and unnamed. Either she had died or she had married before the 1850 census. I have no current knowledge of the name of this daughter. However, The Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900 which can be found at: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/GenealogyMWeb/MarriageSearchServlet shows the following marriages with brides having the maiden name of Ross in Hancock Co, IL during the 1840's. Alouisa Ross married Jeremiah Dee on 09/13/1849, Elizabeth Jane Ross married Samuel A. Smith on 11/8/1849, Legar Ross married John B. Young on 11/17/1844, and Sarah Ross married Moses T. Dyer on 12/28/1847. Any one of these could be the missing daughter of William Ross. I would say you have a 1 out of 4 chance that your Sarah is a daughter of William. Do you have more information from those guardianship papers you mentioned. You say the name of William Ross is on them, but in what context? Usually any party to legal action who lives out of state is better identified than just by name.