Grace, I decided to check some of my source materials and looked at the 1850 census again for you. Indeed, there are NO Davis families in Henry Co. So, knowing that some of the Rock Island families I have been tracking moved between 1850 and 60 to Henry Co, I gave it a shot. After checking ALL of the Rock Island Davis families/names I could find, about 11, I found one that is interesting though it doesn't correspond with some of your data. John Davis 40 born Germany Margaret 50 b Germany JOHN 15 born Germany ******* Margaret 14 born Germany Christiansia (f) 10 Ohio Hannah 8 Ohio George 3 Illinois Note...the John above age 15 is just the right age to be your guy (born 1835). Now...there are many Illinois Davis families, but since Rock island Co is so close to Henry Co....you must certainly give some consideration to this possibility. He may not have been born in Cambridge , Illinois at all. I also looked at some the marriages for John Davis and can't see one for any John Davis m to a Susan Smith. Nothing came up that I could find. However....this is what i did find that could be your people. Susan Smith m. 1862 in Peoria Co, Ill to Wm Hendrickson.]] After find she married in Peoria Co, I then checked for marriage of a John Davis to a Susan (any last name) also in Peoria Co...assuming that maybe she went back ~home~ for a while. In Peoria Co, in 1856, there is a marriage of a John W. Davis to a Susan Jane Dray. This may or may not be the marriage but it looks highly suspicious. Just in case...I checked other possible marriage in Illinois for a john Davis...and the only other one I could find of interest was Susan Beach to John Davis in Macon Co, in 1857. I haven't done any further research for you on that name and location. Susan Smith who m. Hendrickson, may have been born Susan Smith , married a Dray, m Davis and then remarried to Hendrickson using her maiden name again...(it WAS done) Or she might have been born Dray, m. Davis, quickly remarried after his death to a Smith, and he possibly died after which she married Hendrickson. Or...I could be all wet!!! <grin> I certainly did not find a marriage for Susan SMITH to John DAVIS. It looks to me that some of the info you have might be slightly off...opening the way for John Davis's personal info to be off also...as to exactly where he was born. Good luck....Julie Bissell Tupker In a message dated 2/19/01 11:09:02 PM Central Standard Time, [email protected] writes: > > My John Davis was born abt 1835 Cambridge, Henry, IL and he died abt 1862. > I > have not a clue as to whom his parents were. The census book I looked at > for > 1850 did NOT list any Davis families. And I could not find him on any 1860 > census either. He married abt 1860 a Susan Smith and had one child Senith > Arvilla Davis born Aug 1861 in Cambridge, Henry, IL After John death in 1862, > > Susan remarried a Wm Hendrickson and had two more children. Susan met with > hard times abt 1872 and gave her 3 children away..... Are their court > records > available 1870-1875 that might document this? I have been searching for > years > trying to find information on my John DAVIS...........Help or suggestions > would be appreciated...Thank you..... > Grace > >