Hi, folks... I'm in need of some Philbeck help :-) Namely, I'm looking for the above-named Alfred Burton Philbeck in 1870. Here's what I know: 1850 Rutherford Co. Census, Piney Mountain District: Dwelling #1506 Filpeck, Alfred, age 28 , Nicia, age 23 , Malinda, age 5 , Sarah, age 3 , John, age 8/12 Dwelling #17, Sandy Run Dist., Oak Springs PO: Philbeck, A. B. 39 NC Unicy 33 Melinda 14 Sarah 13 John 11 Dulcina 9 Benjamin 7 Willis 3 Living next to them are William and Cyntha Lovelace, my gggrandparents, whose daughter Eliza later married Benjamin Philbeck, son of Albert and Unicy (Unicy's maiden name was Tesseneer, by the way) Now, on the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors website I found the following: Alfred Berton Philbeck Regiment: Name 56 North Carolina Infantry. Side: Confederate Company I Soldier's Rank_In: Private Soldier's Rank_Out: Private Film Number M230 roll 31 It appears that Alfred survived the war, coming out as a private. In 1880, Unicy and her family are no longer with Albert, and the 1880 census has Unicy married to a much younger man, Samuel Melton: Dwelling #76, Colfax Twp., Rutherford Co: Melton, Samuel, age 29 (page 501b; last entry) Melton, Unicia, Wife, age 53 (page 502a; fist entry) Philbeck, Malinda, daughter, age 35 Philbeck, Dulcenia, daughter, age 29 , Julia Ann, daughter, age 4 , John Albert, son, age 6 , Smith, son, age 2 This Julia Ann Philbeck/Melton married Samuel Lovelace 14 May 1891 in Cleveland Co. Her name on the marriage certificate is Julie Philbeck. The death certificate of their son Harrison Pinkney Lovelace lists his mother's name as Julia Melton. I have two questions that I hope someone can answer. First, can anyone account for Alfred Burton Philbeck's whereabouts in 1870? And second, does anyone know who Julia's mother was? Was it Malinda or Dulcenia, or was Julia a younger daughter of Unicy and a sister to Malinda and Dulcenia? Just a little added info here.... In the 1900 Cleveland Co. census, #8 Twp (Polkville): Household 37 Melton, Samuel, head, b. Feb 1851, age 49, farmer , Nicie, wife, b. Jan 1832, age 68 Philbeck, Dulcinie, step-daughter, b. Jan 1851, age 48 , Sarah, grand-daughter, b. May 1886, age 14 , Minnie, grand-daughter, b. Sep 1891, age 8 Lovelace, Bertha, g-gchild, b. Jul 1894, age 4 I believe Bertha might be a daughter of Samuel and Julia Philbeck/Melton Lovelace. Samuel is listed in #6 Twp. in 1900, living beside his sister (I think) Mintie and her husband of 4 years Willis Philbeck, probably the brother of Dulcinea (the census ages look close enough). Samuel is living with his mother and his two sons, and is listed as widowed. Maybe Bertha, whose birthdate fits between that of the two sons of Samuel, was taken in by Unicy, her great-grandmother, or by Dulcinea (her grandmother? her great-aunt?) to raise away from Samuel and his sons. Ah.... This stuff is all so complicated, and extremely interesting!!!! Does anyone have any answers to my Philbeck questions? Thanks in advance! Peace, Part of the Tree, Greg Lovelace