Someone in my family told me that they were told that someone once overheard someone say that the father of Berry L. HORSLEY was named "Ralph". Pretty common occurance in doing family interviews. Well, that was exactly what I was told. Berry L. HORSLEY was born about 1823 in Kentucky according to Illinois census records. Pretty slim information to work with. I posted a message on the KY list and got a reply, among many good suggestions, that stated there was a "Ralph HORSLEY", age 68, listed in the 1870 Breckinridge County census with wife Delila, age 60. About the right time frame for Berry to be a child [ at least for Ralph ] if he was one of the first couple born. This peaked my interest immediately, as would be normal. Step back n time twenty years. On the Breckinridge County web page I found a link to the 1850 census. District 2 page 63B family 258 has Rafael HORSLEY, age 48, with wife Delia, age 41, several children, a Levi HORSLEY, age 84 and Sarah, age 74. [ Ralph.............................Rafael.................................hmmmmmmmmmmmm Delia............................Delila...................double hmmmmmmmmmm ] Not an exact match but with census takers often writing down what "they" heard, well......... The time frame becomes a bit more workable with the seven year age difference instead of the ten shown in 1870. By 1850 Berry was already in Coles County Illinois married to Sarah _______ raising a family of his own so no chance of finding him listed with his parents. Berry did have a brother named Simeon and there AND there is a child listed something like Symeon, age 17, with Rafael and Delia. There was also a William HORSLEY closely associated with Berry in Coles County. There is a child William, age 15, listed on the census. SO, I guess the question then becomes: Does anyone have any further information on this/these family/families? [ even a no chance is something ] I haven't finished going through all the 1850 census pages but did find another name of interest a couple pages later. [ GANAWAY - but that's fodder for another post ] -- (o:]>*HUGGLES*<[:o) Billie Walsh The three best words in the English Language: "I LOVE YOU" Pass then on!