I have had some experience with the Kansas migration. If you will look at a Kansas map in the southeast corner you will see approximately 30 central Illinois town names including Girard. After checking into why the answer was migration. Look it up its fascinating. -----Original Message----- From: Debbi Geer [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, July 13, 2006 5:42 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ILMacoupin] Migrations to KS In the early 1870's there was a lot of migrations into KS. The government had offered good prices for land because they wanted people to start spreading westward and had to do something to entice them. A lot stayed in KS but some did return to their previous homes. Quite a few families from Macoupin Co, Jersey Co and Greene Co IL made the trip to KS with many making themselves a new home. KS did have an 1875 state census. Some of the counties have the census online. Everyone in the household was listed as was their age and birthplace. If they were still living there and then returned to IL by 1880, you'll have an idea as to when the return trip was made. Debbi Geer __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ==== ILMACOUP Mailing List ==== Macoupin County Historical Society books for sale: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilmacoup/m_bksale.htm#hissoc -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.0/388 - Release Date: 7/13/2006 -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.0/388 - Release Date: 7/13/2006