I am wondering whether someone can help me sort or my Orrin/Arron Ferguson mystery. The evidence is as follows: In the 1850 McDonough Co., IL census, the William Ferguson household looks like this: William Ferguson, age 62 Ellen Ferguson, age 51 (this is Eleanor Sandusky) Henry, age 20 Isabel, age 17 Polly, age 15 Cynthia, age 12 Edward, age 10 Orin, age 7 George Dysel(?), age 51 William and Ellen/Eleanor are my 3g grandparents, and I am trying to establish whether Edward (age 10, above) and Orin (age 7, above) died before the probate of William's estate in 1873, or were children taken in from another family, who were not considered heirs. In the estate settlement, there is a listing of all of William's children, including their spouses. However, Edward and Orin are not listed. The logical conclusion would be that they had died before 1873, leaving no children to inherit in their stead. One of William's daughters predeceased him, and her children were named to inherit her share, so I am assuming that, if Edward or Orin died and left heirs, they would have been named. The problem with the theory of Orrin/Arron predeceasing his father is that I have come by information that he survived long enough to marry Rosalthea Twitchell. I have no spouse for Edward, so perhaps he did predecease his father. If someone on the MCDONOUGH CO., IL mailing list has a mortality table or cemetery book that lists either Orrin or Edward as having died before 1873, that would be most helpful in solving this mystery. Also, if someone on either of these lists happens to know that the Arron who m. Rosalthea Twitchell was NOT the son of this William Ferguson, that would be helpful information, too. Many thanks in advance for any help you can provide with this mystery. Annie (Elliott) Utick of Helena, Montana.