1870 Census, Union County, Illinois

This is a very confusing census entry.  But it seems extremely likely that "Robert A. Morris" was in fact Reuben A. Morris, and that his daughter "Rachel" who married Calvin Messamore was in fact his daughter Ruth Lucinda Morris.  Also, Reuben's wife was Sarah Anderson, rather than Susan Anderson.

Calvin M. Messamore was the son of John Messamore and Elizabeth (Betsy) Minton.  As such, Calvin was the niece of my third great grandmother Anna F. Messamore.

Added 10 Jul 2005. I have some additional information that bears on this situation.  A fellow researcher in Illinois reports to me that there were two filmings of this census book (and maybe of many others?), one by NARA and one by the LDS.  The transcription above (to the left) is a transcription I did of the NARA microfilm.  The LDS microfilm has the same family as follows:
 
C. MESSAMORE 31 m w farmer 300 250 TN
R. 27 f w keeping house IL
S. E. 7 f w IL
Z. 6 f w IL
J. A. 4 m w IL
E. 10/12 m w IL
 
In order for the film to be that different, NARA and the LDS must have filmed different census books, one having been copied by hand into the other.  It makes me wonder if the entry with only the initials was the original.  Perhaps when it was copied, the enumerator expanded the initials into full names based on his notes or his memory or his knowledge of the people in the county.  And perhaps he expanded them wrong, expanding "R. 27" into "Rachel 27" instead of into "Ruth 27".

Margaret S. Messamore and Mary Messamore were daughters of John Messamore and Elizabeth (Betsy) Minton who were living next door in dwelling number 17.  John Messamore was the son of my fourth great grandparents William/Wilhelm Messamore and Margarethe Elizabeth (Peggy) May.  As such, John was the brother of my third great grandmother Anna F. Messamore.  Margaret S. Messamore and Mary Messamore were nieces of Anna F. Messamore.

John Messamore moved from Roane County, Tennessee to Union County, Illinois about 1852.  John's daughter Margaret S. Messamore married Michael S. Smith.  John's daughter Mary Messamore married Charles Corgan.

John Messamore was the son of my fourth great grandparents William/Wilhelm Messamore and Margarethe Elizabeth (Peggy) May.  As such, he was the brother of my third great grandmother Anna F. Messamore.

John Tyler Messamore was the son of John Messamore and Elizabeth (Betsy) Minton.  As such, John Tyler Messamore was the nephew of my third great grandmother Anna F. Messamore.

John Tyler Messamore's wife was Matilda Ellender Norton.

Lucretia/Luticia Messamore was the daughter of James Messamore and Sarah (Sary) Heath.  It's a curious situation because James was the Messamore brother who stayed in Tennessee and John was the Messamore brother who moved to Illinois.  Nevertheless, some of James' descendants also moved to Illinois.  If the birth places of the children were correct in the 1870 census, James Castell and Luticia Messamore must have moved to Illinois shortly before the 1870 census.

John and James Messamore were brothers of my third great grandmother Anna F. Messamore.

Elizabeth Alice (Alice) Tweedy married Charles Tallifero (Tallifero) Messamore in 1871.  Tallifero Messamore was the son of John Messamore and Elizabeth (Betsy) Minton.  As such, Tallifero was the nephew of my third great grandmother Anna F. Messamore.