I am seeking information about my great grandfather George Collins who was an African American born in Maine, Broome County, New York State about 1840. The only factual information that I have is as follows:- The 1881 British Census shows George to be living with his English wife Anne and their three children in Ponypool.Monmouthshire, Wales.( George was aged 40 at this time.) Our family folklore has always maintained that George and Anne met when they were working in Service for a Welsh Squire. There is no real evidence that this is so but there was a Squire Hanbury Leigh of Pontypool Park in Monmouthshire. This family's forebears founded the Ironworks in Pontypool and I understand that they had ties with the East Coast of America in the 1700's I have no idea how George got from his home in Broome County to the British Isles and I am going to need a great deal of luck to find out!! I am myself English and living in England . I confess at knowing nothing about the USA census returns so I would be extremely grateful if someone could enlighten me as to whether or not the American Census's for Broome County for the 1800's actually named African American families and if so would it be too much to ask if the Collins family show up in any of them? Many thanks Glynys Freeland