An observation about the 1880 census on CD-ROM... I spent some time searching them at an LDS Family History Center a few months ago. I found John Henry Seaver transcribed as Sevier. I couldn't find my Waits family at all, but I knew they had to be there. Finally in desperation I searched under a surname that I knew was a neighbor--found my Allen Waits transcribed as Allen Wails. Soundex would never catch that. This also points up the importance of seeing the actual census image. Indexes and transcriptions are essential tools of research, and there are definite advantages to being able to see the surnames in alphabetical order, but it's just as essential to see the image. Even the best transcribers sometimes made errors or simply were unable to decipher what was written. Just the fact that we each have information about our families that a transcriber could not possibly have makes looking at the image a crucial step. Pat -- Patricia Moorefield Seaver Knoxville, Tennessee (formerly of Williamsville, New York)