This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/HBRBAIB/1161.1.1 Message Board Post: After continuing to research the family of Ira Sweet and Sarah Hadsell, I have concluded that the dates of birth of the various children which are accepted by many researcher is wrong. I found many of the children of Ira and Sarah nee Hadsell Sweet on the 1840, 1850, and 1860 Census' for Pike County, IL. continuing thru 1870 and 1880 on a couple of his children. Based on Census data, I now believe the correct order and approximate dates of birth of the children of Ira Sweet and Sarah Hadsell are as follows: Sylvania, born abt 1817 - married Nathaniel Smith Ann, born 1818/19 - married Daniel W. Gray Ira A., born 1820 Barbara, born 1822 - married George MCCloskey Nathan, born 1824 Samuel O., born 1825 Rensselaer/Rensaller, born 1827 Thomas Andrew, born 1830 The 1850 Census was the first Census that identified all members of a family/household by name. It also listed their age at the time the Census was taken. Nathan Sweat (sic), Samuel Sweat, Renceller Sweat, Sylvania Smith, Ann Gray, and Barbara McCloskey, all appear on the 1850 Census living in Puke County, IL. Ira A. Sweet is known to have gone to California in 1849, returning to Pike County in 1850/51. Ira Sweet, Samuel O. Sweat (sic), Ranselor (sic) Sweet, Sylvania Smith, and Ann Gray appear on the 1860 Census in Pike County, IL. Nathan Sweet and Thomas A. Sweet appear on the 1860 Census in Wise County, TX. I was unable to locate Barbara nee Sweet McCloskey on the 1860 Census. (Ira) Alfanso Sweet, Ransellar (sic) Sweet, Thomas Sweet, and Sylvania Smith appear on the 1870 Census in Pike County, IL. Samuel O. Sweet appears on the 1870 Census living in DeKlab County, MO. Nathan is believed to have died in Tarrant County, TX in 1870. Ann nee Sweet Gray is also believed to have died sometime before 1870. The whereabouts of Barbara McCloskey at the time of the 1870 Census is unknown. I. A. (Ira A.) Sweet, and Renselor (sic) Sweet appear on the 1880 Census living in Pike County, IL. Sylvania nee Sweet Smith is believed to have died in 1879. Her husband, Nathaniel Smith appears on the 1880 Census in Pike County living with his son Eugene. Samuel O. Sweet is known to have died in 1875 in DeKalb County, MO. Thomas Andrew Sweet is believed to have returned to Tarrant County, TX abt 1873 where he died on a date unknown. Again, the wereabouts of Barbara McCloskey at the time of the 1880 Census is unknown. The birthdate of Ira Sweet (Sr.) is widely accepted by many researchers as 17 Jan 1802. However, his eldest child Sylvania's age is given as 33 on the 1850 Census; 44 on the 1860 Census; and 53 on the 1870 Census which would put her year of birth as 1816/17. If Ira was born in 1802, he would have been 15 at the time of Sylviania's birth and 14 at the time she was conceived. While this is certainly a possibility, it suggests that the accepted birthdate of Ira (Sr.) might possibly be in error. Please note that I have changed my e-mail address for anyone wishing to communicate.