Available online via Ancestry is 'Missouri Marriages before 1840' by Susan Ormesher. It lists a marriage on July 6th 1834 in Lafayette County between John M Thomas and Elizabeth Rutledge. Has any lister followed up this marriage? According to Peggy Smith Hake (in Windows to the Past), "Cornelius W. Thomas (called Uncle Neal) was born in Camden County, MO on April 5, 1843. He was a son of John and Elizabeth Thomas who lived in Camden County in the 1840s. John Thomas died prior to 1850 and Elizabeth then married Samuel Brooks." Could the Lafayette couple have gone to Camden County? Camden County was formed out of Pulaski on Jan 29 1843. The 1840 Census for Pulaski Co Mo lists a John Thomas age 30-40 with a wife also aged 30-40, and 3 sons under 5 and 1 son 5-10. This schedule neatly fits the known children of John Thomas & Elizabeth as enumerated in the 1850 Census; viz: Harvey b 1834; William b 1835; George b 1838; John b 1840. Will this hypothesis stick? Paddy