I think I made a small break-through that I would like to share. Yay!

I managed to locate a family on the 1880 census that bears much resemblance to the James/Tolliver family I am researching that descends from the Tolliver family of my great-great grandmother Mary Tolliver.

The Concordia Parish, La 1880 census list the following names, of which I examined closely, and found two names in particular that are the close to the names of my great-grandmother Kisiah and her daughter Mary Jane.

It goes as follows:

Emily Tolliver b abt 1820 bp Maryland
Edward Tolliver b abt 1815 bp Maryland
Manuel Tolliver b abt 1854 (son) bp Alabama
Edward Tolliver b abt 1864 (son) bp Louisiana
Jeff Tolliver b abt 1866 (son) bp Louisiana
Emily Tolliver b abt 1859 (dau-in-law) bp Ala
Kiziah Tolliver b abt 1875 bp Louisiana (dau)
Mary Jane Tolliver b abt 1877 bp LA (dau)
Adeline Tolliver b abt 1880 bp Louisiana (dau)
(Niece - Minerva age 17)

I am thinking Emily, who at the time of this census was widowed, was married to my gg grandmother Mary's brother. I am still researching to confirm his name.

While Mary is not listed in the household, I am taking an educated guess that she probably was born around 1857 and would be about 23 years of age. Therefore, possibly married and in the household with her husband. I am still researching this information.

There is also a Henry Tolliver married to Carolina that lives next door to this family who was born in 1845, bp Alabama. I am thinking he may also be Edward and Emily's son or is related to them in some other way since it is not a coincidence that he lives nearby and his bp is the same as their first son Manuel. He could also be the husband of Emily (the daughter-in-law) given the fact information can be misreported on the census.

For now, this is at least a starting point for me to delve further and possibly come up with more information to confirm my findings.

Until next time, back to the hunting!