Yes, I think we need Sherlock Holmes or Agathe Christie? Anna Taylor, wife of Ralph shelton is listed on the Grainger Co. 1850 census and her age is shown as 41. Calculated backward, this would put her birth at abt. 1809. 1860 Census of Grainger Co., Tenn. She is now living with her son, Anderson. Shelton, Anderson 18 Laborer Tenn " , Mary 18 Tenn " , Anna 45 Tenn. Notice that Anna has aged only 4 years in the 10 years between 1850 and 1860. This is not unusual. Census records are notoriously inaccurate as to ages as well as places of birth. When the census taker visited the house, a child may have given him the information he asked for, or someone visiting the house. Approximations and outright guesses were often obviously given. Anna was not living in Anderson's household in 1880, but rather, in Mark's: 1880 Census of Grainger Co Shelton, Anderson 38, Shelton, Mary 38 Shelton, Theerizjen 15 Shelton, Lucinda 13 Shelton, Ralph 10 Shelton, Cloa 7 Shelton, Robert 4 Shelton, Henly_? 2 Shelton, Mark 39 Shelton, Ollie 29 Shelton, Anna 73 This puts her birth more in perspective as abt. 1807, give or take. In 1814, the Anna you mention as a minor, you give no age, but my Anna would have been abt. 5 to 7. I do not beleive it is the same Anna, but who knows? Why did you mention "Roberts" kids? >Hi Duane, >well just to add to the mystery....in the Apprenticeships for Grainger >from 1797-1875 >there is an Anna and Isabella Taylor and several Roberts kids..who were >to be bound out as they were minors and Orphans 19 Aug 1814 > >there were some other Taylor kids bound out also...from 1816-18 > >Sharon