Posted on: Whiteside Co. Illinois Queries Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Il/Whiteside/10839 Surname: Smith, Oneil ------------------------- Sandy, In the 1880 census in Newton Twp. I found a family that looks very promising! The fourth household before Henry Oneil and family is: 59/62 Smith, John M 50 M Farmer IR IR IR Alice F 47 M Wife IR IR IR James M 14 S Son Farmlaborer OH IR IR Joseph M 12 S Son IA IR IR Alice F 11 S Dau IA OH OH Mary F 8 - Dau IA IR IR I suspect either the census taker or the transcriber goofed on Alice's parents birthplaces! Could this Alice be your Alice that you are looking for...she is about 18 years older than Henry which would be about right for an aunt. Also, the family immediately before John Smith was: 58/61 Oneill, James M 51 M Farmer IR IR IR Mary F 51 M Wife IR IR IR Isabell F 20 S Dau IL IR IR Robert M 18 S Son Farmlaborer IL IR IR James M 16 S Son Farmlaborer IL IR IR Thomas M 11 S Son IL IR IR Collins, Thomsas M 25 S Farmlaborer NJ IR IR James Oneil would fit to be a brother to Alice. Note, however, that his children were all born in Illinois, while Alice and John Smith had a child in OH and then 3 in Iowa. James Oneil and family are in Newton in 1870 also and Henry is shown as James son! The family is: Oneil, James 39 M IR x x x Farmer Mary 40 F IR x x Henry 19 M NJ x x Mary A. 17 F NJ x x Isabelle 11 F IL x x Robert J. 10 M IL James M. 6 M IL Thomas 2 M IL Next door is what is probably a brother to James. Oneil, Joseph M. 37 M IR x x x Farmer Mary 30 F IR Joseph H. 12 M NJ John A. 9 M NJ Mary E. 6 F NJ James 1 M IL It would appear that James moved first to the area, to be followed by his brother, Joseph and later sister, Alice with her husband. Henry married in 1872: ONEIL, HENRY MCGOWEN, MARY WHITESIDE 07/04/1872 / 00003121 From the Fulton Catholic Cemetery records: Smith, John, b. in Ireland, Aug. 15, 1833 Smith, Alice, his w., b. in Ireland Apr. 12, 1838 These dates don't quite match with the 1880 census, but they are close. Bob