It does get confusing that's for sure. Especially with the name change for your Frank. There are so many possibilities to consider. Robert was married twice. He is shown as widowed in the 1900 census and then married to Martha V. Wilmoth by the 1910 census. Robert was a lawyer. The writing on the 1880 census isn't the easiest to read, but the 1900 census is a bit easier, and the 1910 shows his occupation as "atty at law, general practice". That you mention another Rachel with J F Firestone sent me to my notes. Though I've not checked this out, I did make note that another researcher had James Firestone married to Rachel Carey in 1877. There was no contact info for the research, but I made a note that it was something I wanted to check out when the opportunity arose. Sounds as though I won't need to other than to get the documentation since you have seen the marriage certificates and can verify that it was Rachel Black, not Rachel Carey. Thanks for saving me some time. :) I'll keep my eye out for any clues to your Frank as I search around and pass them on should I run across anything. ----- Original Message ----- From: Lakeshore32 To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 9:02 PM Subject: Re: [OHPERRY] OHPERRY Digest, Vol 2, Issue 108 Pam, I've have considered this as a possibility. And, I have also considered that one of the females had Frank and the father, a Church (perhaps James Church who died in Civil War as son of Augustus and Marg Ann Neeley Church of Fairfield Co OH) (or perhaps Thomas Church OH MASS MD as son of David and Mary Church of Perry Co OH per 1860. Thomas md later an Hester J b 1856 and went onto Wisconsin). And in speaking of stepfathers, Frank E Church Black's death certificate that lists just the first name for his father and no mother could indicate that the father listed was a stepfather by name of James. And could it then be James Firestone or James Davis? Also Rachel who married 1877 James Firestone appears that he had children before. In 1870 at Hardin Co OH, it says J F Firestone 38 and Rachel 36, Thomas 14 b 1856, J W 11, *Franklin 11, M 9, Emma 5, and Elmore 1/2. In 1880 it says James Firestone 45 b 1835, Rachel b 1837, Jonathan Davis 26, Flora 21, Edith 13, and Sherman 2. A bit confusing. It appears that Matilda Black who md 1867 James M Davis had several girls. Isaac Davis 34 per 1880 md to a Jane 23 had child Clinton E Davis b 1878 and Susan E age 1. Also, James Davis was brother to William and Jonathan. Robert F Black appears to have married twice; in 1867 he's married to Sarah Claphan who died in 1899 by whom he had Carrie that we know off born 1868 and per the 1910 census he is married to a Martha V. And he is a sawyer, not lawyer as I have seen in other posts. And there is the possibility that my Frank is the son of William R Black. My Frank Church Black who married Margaret A Current had one child, Clinton E Black 1886 OH - 1973 Calif who had 3 children: Robert C Black 1913 OR - 1986 CA; James W Black 1915 OR - 1932 CA; and Ellen M (who married twice) 1917 OR - 2004 VA. Now, I would think that perhaps Frank's grandchildren may be named after some of his family. Some Fairfield Co OH marriages for BLACK are: Caleb md 1819 Sally Parks Eliz md 1822 Abe Beery George md 1816 Polly Hanes James md 1825 Hanna Butler James md 1804 Jane Gillespie aka Wallace John md 1808 Guinnes (Jinny) Benjamin Lettie md 1825 David Wolf Liddy md 1806 George Lamb Martha md 1820 Wm M?Mcluny Molly md 1822 John See Nancy md 1823 Henry Rader Phillip md 1807 Kitty Be... For 1860 Fairfield Co Rushcreek, I find Robert J Black 38 b Ireland, John W 4 b OH, Sam W 11/12, and Wiliam 42. Same county but at Pleasant Twp, I find Robert Black 40 and Ann 31. Also same county but at Baltimore: Henry Black 43, Rhoda 44, Willie 9, George 4, Joespeph ?Puff 18, and Lucinda Heis 19. There is also (can't recall county) a John H Black who md 1859 a Margaret Jenkins. I sent for data from Hardin Co Hist Society and they sent me marriage certs for the 3 Black gals of Henry and Susanna along with burial, death, and other data. They were very reasonable and most helpful. They even gave me data from Fairfield Co. Frank E Church Black is certainly my mystery that he kept even at his death; it would seem that he did protect his mother by not listing her on his death cert but that he sure was proud of his grampa Black by whom he took his name. And the bio on him really cements things listing Henry as being his maternal grampa and even listing what regiment he was in and the loss of Avery. Frank went onto California in 1891; I have found him in land records for 1892, 1905, and 1908. And your finding of a Rachel age 13 is interesting also; I may have some data on who this Rachel married. Thanks for sharing, as always, Laurie