I obtained for a small fee, the 1840 Russell County, AL Census from the National Archives Rental Program. I have been unable to locate my direct ancestor John W. KELLY (which there are gobs of them everywhere) prior to 1842 in a marriage record. His son William Charles KELLY, my g-g-grandfather was born in Russell County, AL in 1843. John W. is listed in later census as a boat captain. Utilizing the Idiots Guide to the Sherlock Holmes Methodology of Deductive Reasoning, I thought I would check the 1840 Russell County AL Census since it and other counties they lived in later on are right on the Chattahoochee River. I felt it might also give me a clue. IT DID!! In a sense. There is a John W. KELLY listed for Russell County, AL 1840 Census, about the right age. However he has a wife and children. Soooooooo..... The following are my questions to the list: John W. KELLY was born abt. 1813 in PA. He and his family migrated to GA abt. 1826 from the small sketchy biography I have of my g-grandfather. John married Sarah Caroline MARTIN of GA on December 26, 1842 in Muscogee County, GA (across the river from Russell County, AL) This I can verify through Marriage Records and Books of Muscogee County, GA. Since John was a bit older when he married Caroline (b. abt. 1826) I now am wondering if John W. KELLY was prior married? If so there is no mention of the 3 Children listed on the 1840 Census. Here is my request: Is there anyone on this list who might have a John W. KELLY who disappeared abt. 1840 time frame who had a wife and children who perhaps died for some unknown reason? The census states he was a 'Farmer'. In either case I have the Census for anyone who might wish it or who has a John W. KELLY in Russell County, AL in 1840. Please contact me if you do!!!! Mike Kelly firewalker@gibralter.net