Any directory can contain errors or omissions. This 1918 directory of Hancock County, Illinois, farmers does not include my great-grandfather Charles Neill. His brothers are listed, but he is not.
The illustration shows everyone with the last name of Neill in the directory. There are no “Neal” or other entries under the usual “incorrect” spellings. The directory includes farmers who owned their own farm and those farmers who were tenant farmers. I’m not certain why Charles was not included.
What I need to do is read the preface to see if there is some other technicality that might have caused great-grandfather to not be listed. To the best of my knowledge, my great-grandfather had no occupation other than farming. While he did work as a hired man before his marriage, there’s no family history that he did so after his marriage. He is listed as operating his own farm in 1910 and 1920–although his brother Edward is listed as his “partner” in 1920 and Edward is listed in this directory as owning 220 acres in St. Albans Township.
There may be a reason Charles is not listed. Or he may have been inadvertently left out. Directories sometimes do leave people out.
Note: Sometimes directories include a list of “late additions” at the very end of the directory. Always check to see if any directory you are using has such a section.
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