In a message dated 7/10/2005 12:08:55 PM Central Daylight Time, lorraineq@juno.com writes: I guess my main suggestion would be to find out where he was in 1880. That is easily done on the site www.familysearch.org. After that, check into land records if he owned land. Those often solve problems. Lorraine I appreciate your suggestion. I knew I had already checked the 1880 census records, but I went back to my database to double check, and I realized that I had glanced at it too quickly when I was writing my notes. John C. SCOTT b. 1852 did not immigrate in 1865 as I had indicated, the correct date was 1886 so the first census record he appears in is the 1900 census. He owned the farm free of mortgage. I guess I am uncertain what the land papers might tell me. In the past any that I have found for other ancestors has not given me any information that was particularly helpful in determining ancestry or spouse. Simply that they owned that particular piece of land. I am uncertain where he lived prior to the 1900 census, I only know that his first child, by his first wife, was apparently born somewhere in MN. And without an 1890 census that leaves a big hole. Thanks for the suggestion. I would probably not have noticed my error. The one place I need to look AGAIN is the Ellis Island site, sometimes repeated efforts pay off. Jo Hogle