One of my brick walls, Ida Esterby.  She is the sister of my great grandfather.  I found her on the 1892 and 1900 census with her parents and siblings.  Parents are Hans and Maria Esterby (AKA Easterby) from Denmark. 1900 census says she was born July 1889.  I ordered the microfilm for NYC births for that year and can't find a birth cert.  Her mother died in December 1902 and in July 1903 I found a couple newspaper articles that say her father accused her of abusing her younger siblings while he was at work. Ida says it wasn't true and accused her father of abusing her.   While an investigation was ongoing she was placed in the Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Children.  I contacted them and they have no record of her.  Later I find her on the New Jersey 1905 census living as a boarder with a family of Reverand Joseph A. Owen, he is a methodist minister.  She was living at 360 2nd st Hackettstown, NJ.  I can't find anything on her after that.  Someone did a look up for me at the New Jersey archives, she searched the following records:  death certificates from 1905 through 1910 and looked in the Marriage Certificates (Bride Index) for 1904-1909, 1910-1914, 1915-1919, 1920-1929 and 1936, she didn't find anything.  I have no idea where to look next.  She could have gone back to NY or anywhere.  I do find her father and other siblings on the census's after 1900.  On the 1910 Hans is living in East Northport, Long Island (my hometown) with 2 of his sons.  I'm not sure of the outcome of the investigation but it doesn't appear that Hans lost his kids to the state.  He kept in touch with his other kids and I found a newspaper article for his granddaughters wedding that says he was a guest, that was in 1926.  I have talked to a couple of older relatives who say they remember hearing the name Ida but don't know anything about her or what happened to her.  I have an obit for one of her brothers and she is not mentioned in it as a survivor.  I think she either died or married and lost touch with her family.  I know the july 1889 birthdate on the 1900 census could be wrong.  Her parents and 3 siblings immigrated from Denmark on December 21, 1888.  The immigration record says her brother Bernhard was 6 months old at that time but he was really 8 months old.  The 1905 NJ census has the name Ida Esterby and the correct age but says she was born at sea and her parents were from Sweden.  I know she wasn't born at sea....maybe conceived, but not born. Im pretty sure the NJ Ida is the same as my Ida but maybe the person giving the census taker the info wasnt sure about where she or her parents were born.  Any advice on where to look from here would be great.  Also, if anyone is going to the NY archives and wants to do a look up for me, that would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance. Kim [email protected]