Yes, any of the scenarios is possible, but the enumerators, both years, seemed to be keeping track of literacy (others on the pages). Mary of 1850 was literate, Nancy of 1860 was not. If it was the other way around, I'd say Nancy had learned to read during the 1850's decade. I still haven't entered the children in PAF because I haven't had time to concentrate on it. This breakthrough came when I had a lot going on. > From: eoakes@blueridge.net > To: paf-5-users@rootsweb.com > Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2010 20:04:47 -0500 > Subject: Re: [PAF-5] PAF-5-USERS Digest, Vol 5, Issue 177 > > You missed a fourth possibility. Mary and Nancy were the same person. The Census has been known > to show one person with two or more different names in different years. > > Elaine Oakes > > >>As for your original question of whose mother is who, I would say there are > 3 obvious possibilities > > Mary died in 1850 or 1851 and Joel married Nancy who is mother of all > children > > Mary died about 1853 possible due to childbirth of second child and William > is her child and all the rests are Nancy's > > Mary died about 1857 and only Amanda belongs to Nancy > > Of course all of these are suppositions and may all be wrong. I was > taught to look for second marriages even if the wife is the same name if there > is a break of 3-5 years between children. The other possibility in children > who did not survive to be listed on the census. > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PAF-5-USERS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message