In the 1860 Kansas Census was a Silas Longley, age 34, and wife Elizabeth, 22. This Silas, a farmer, was born in 1826, which would be within a year of my NJ-Silas. In 1860, MY Silas F. Langley was a young father in Dennisville, Cape May County, New Jersey.

Some feel that Longley and Langley were the same name at that time. The Kansas couple claimed no children as of 1860, and both told the C-taker they were born in Tennessee. Because Kansas-Silas is now 34, however, I wonder if there wasn't in fact an earlier marriage somewhere.

Also, because of the unusual first name and age coincidence, I wonder if these Silases were named after a common grandfather or other ancestor IN TN, NJ or even England.

We do know that the Rubin or Reuben Langley who married in southern NJ in 1776 and died in 1804, named a son Silas around 1790. “First-Silas” fought in the War of 1812 and had bought property in southern NJ in 1811. It also appears that my GGGF was named after him (his uncle.) Wonder where they first got the name Silas?

What do we hear from our cousins in “Kansas Korner” and “Tennessee Territory?” And what other Langleys have been named Silas or Reuben?

--- Delaware Dolores (USA)