In a message dated 2/15/2006 8:45:55 PM Mountain Standard Time, SHAABBOTT@aol.com writes: I have seen a census taker write the abbreviation "IA" for birthplace. As I knew this particular family was born in Indiana, I realized it was his abbreviation for Indiana not Iowa. We can't always assume today's abbreviations were the same in the 1800s. ***************************** Wow. That's a new one for me that I had not thought about. Thank you for the tip off Ruth Cherecwich