Thanks to all that replied to my inquiry. I have always assumed that the parents of these children were deceased, but, am not sure if they were always adopted by the family. Perhaps Godparents or named guardians for the child. In one case Anna Kennedy is a taken child of James Carter and family. I do not see in the census of 1900 or 1910 that her surname ever changed, although my father-in-law always considered her a cousin (of sorts, as a Carter daughter married a Demore brother, FILs uncle). I guess I have been overthinking this. Once again, thank you for the input. Diane DeMore Burlington County Website Co-ordinator http://www.shovergen.com/njburlin/index.html -------------------