This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Wells, DeLong Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SCWBAIB/4455.1 Message Board Post: I will try this again and see if I can avoid destrying it before the post happens. The 1910/1920 census shows the DeLong family in McKim, Pleasants Co., WV. All the children and Orlando were born in WV with Matilda (shown as Martha M. in 1910) born in Ohio. She is also shown as having 10 children with all living in 1910 but three were already gone. They had been married 25 years in 1910 so the marriage took place Cir 1885 Children shown on the records are: Lena M. b: Cir 1893 Ada b: Cir 1895 James P. (Perron?) b: Cir 1898 Sarah A. b: Cir 1900 Laurence/Lawrence M. b: Cir 1902 Clarance J. b: Cir 1904 Albert R. b: Cir 1908 In the 1920 census is a granddaughter listed as Sylvia (no surname but one would normally assume DeLong) age 5-11/12 (b: July 1914) WV with parents born OH and WV. The 1930 Census for Chester, Hancock Co., WV shows Jacob Wells 37 b: OH with parents born WV & WV Ada Wells 36 b: WV parents born United States No children are shown. Orlando is also in Chester. Matilda is again listed as Martha M. and sons James, Clarence and Albert are still living at home. in 1910 Grant, Hancock Co., WV Jay Wells 26 b: WV Ada Wells 25 b: WV No children - there must either be a story here or Sylvia was just hanging out with the grandparents in 1910 and had already left home by 1920 A clue to the origin of Jake/Jacob/Jay may be the Wells family in Grant 5 hoursholds away. Perry Wells 66 b: WV parents born OH Jane Wells 53 b: OH parents born OH George Wells 18 b: WV parents b: OH and WV Lydia Wells 16 b: WV Both Jay and George work for a pottery company. in 1910 the Wells family was in Washington, Pleasants Co., WV Perry Wells 57 b: OH parents born United States Jane Wells 44 b: OH parents born OH married 25 years (Cir 1885) 11 children with 8 living Billy H. Wells 21 Jacob M. Wells 17 Della M. Wells 14 James E. Wells 11 Alexander Wells 10 George R. Wells 9 Lyda E. Wells 6 The 1900 census is curious. They are still in Washington and additional children noted: Mary Wells - age not recorded William Wells - age not recorded Harry Wells - age not recorded Samuel Wells - age not recorded It may be that Mary was Della M. in 1910 but why out of order? William was certainly Billy H (makes sense) Harry was to have been Jacob M (was M actually H?) Samuel must then have been James. Some of our ancestors surely know how to complicate our research. Perry Wells is a challenge. He is recorded as 45 in 1900, 57 in 1910 and 66 in 1920. So he was born between 1853 and 1855 hopefully in Ohio. Of course no one fitting this description is in the 1880 or 1870 census. The only one coming close in 1860 is a Perry Wells in Tuscarawas, Coshocton Co., OH where he remained until at least 1880 when he is shown married to a Jennie with two children. She was 6 years older. Did she die and he remarried in 1885 then move to WV? If so what about his two children in 1880? Leonard seems to still be here in 1900. I hesitate to speculate here, so I will just give you what I see.