Looking for George L.

When I'm looking online for ancestors, I usually stop first at Rootsweb, just to see if anyone else is looking too. There are often hints on how to proceed. Unfortunately, no one at Rootsweb is looking for George L. Dehority or Anna (Warren) Dehority, except me. No trees, no records, nothing (sigh!). Even looking for sons Thomas or David doesn't help.

Next stop, the Ancestry census files. My favorite census is 1850, since this is the one where they finally started listing all the members of the household. There he is, page 111, Murderkill Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, George Dorority, age 23 (or possibly 33—there is a markover), a farmer with 300 acres (Thomas' will left George half interest in his home and plantation estimated at 400 acres). Also listed with him are: Ann (29), David (1), Susan Herd (15) and Thomas Herd (19). All of this is consistent with George being the “son of Mary Hurd, wife of James Hurd” as in Thomas' will. Further up the page is James Herd (38) and wife Mary (44) with their children: Elizabeth (12), Samuel (11), Rebecca (8), James (6), Benjamin (2). Well, if this is George's mother Mary, then either George is definitely 23, not 33, or she had him at age 11. It is starting to look like Mary had an earlier husband.

Next: Other clues in 1850.