YOU ASKED > << Can someone help me read the given names on this census. The copy at the > library has been scrapped. > > Helts Twp. Pg. 25 H/H 340/345 > Slater - > N??? 21 M Blacksmith VA > ??? 20 F IN > Wiley A. 3/12 M IN I looked at my on-line FTM 1850 census images for Vermillion Co. and I'm not sure either. The spot on the page there "N ??? " appears has been scratched. Or maybe the census taker wasn't sure how to spell his name and tried to erase his first efforts or wrote over it. My personal guess -- and only a guess here -- is that your Slater's name was Nehemiah. The census taker seems to have written Ne***mia with a taller letter in between. Whoever indexed the page at FTM read it as "Naumia" which doesn't look right to me. His wife's name appears to be Jane. The way they made J and I and L in those days is very similar, but I compared the first initial in her name to that of a couple of obvious J names (a John and a Josiah) and I think it's a J. As for the baby -- again, I'm guessing but I think the middle initial is a "G" and not an "A." And I don't see the "e" in Wiley. Looks more like "Wily" to me. Could he have actually been a Willy (i.e., William)?? I hope you'll get several more people's opinions on this. I tried to find a marriage record listing for them as they can't have been married for very long, -- probably in 1848 or '49 -- but although there are a lot of Slaters, I didn't see theirs. If you can find one, it might give another clue to their names. Good luck. Jeanne Surber