Tracking a Crail Family in the Census

Census records can be a valuable tool in tracking a family's movement and putting together a family group sheet. Case in point, the family of James Berry Crail.

The 1800-1840 censuses are flawed in that they do not list names of the family or ages. These records break the family down by age groups [5 or 10 year periods] for males, females and slaves. The head of the household is given.

The children of James and Margaret Crail began marrying during the 1830s. Only Margaret, the youngest, failed to marry. James [b. 1783] and Margaret [b. 1784/5] were married about 1808. So, the 1810 census would be the first to look at and 1840 the last. The children and their families should be listed by themselves from 1850 on. [Except for my James B. Jr., of course.

1810 Pendleton Co., KY - James Crale [3m 0-10] [1m 10-15] [1m 26-44] [1f 45+]
1820 Harrison Co., IN - James Crale [2m 0-10] [1m 10-15] [1m 26-44] [3f 0-10] [1f 10-15] [1f 26-44] [8m slaves under 14] The index left out the 1f 26-44, but that column was "ticked off" on the sheet.
1830 Washington Co., IN - James B. Crade [1m 5-9] [1m 10-14] [1m 15-19] [1m 20-29] [1m 40-49]
[1f 0-5] [1f 5-9] [1f 10-14] [1f 15-19] [1f 40-49]

1840 Shelby Co., IN - James B. Crail [1m 15-19] [1m 20-29] [1m 50-59] [1f 10-14] [1f 50-59]

We'll look at 1810 first. James should have been about 27 [b. 1783], Margaret 25/6 [b. 1784/5] and  James Jr. 1 [b. c1809]

Results? 3m 0-10, 1m 10-15, 1m 26-44, 1f 45+ Should be 1m 0-10 1m 26-44 1 f 26-44.
No explanation for the discrepancies, other than the enumerator misfired or other family members were living with the Crails.

From what I have pieced together, the known family of James and Margaret was as follows: [*accounted for in census]

name             est. born 1820 1830 1840 married
James B. Sr. [b. 1783]  37*     47*   57*  c1808
Margaret      [b. 1784]  36*     46*   56*    "   "
James B. Jr. [b. 1809]  11*     21*    31   c1832
Thomas J.    [b. 1811]   9*      19*    29   c1836
Mary W.      [b. 1813]   7*      17*    27   c1834
Absalom      [b. 1816]   4*      14*   24*  c1844
Senar Jane   [b. 1820]   0*      10*   20    c1837
Robert R.     [b. 1822]   -          8*   18*  c1845
Margaret      [b. 1828]   -          2*   12*    dnm

Unaccounted for in 1820 and 1830 is a daughter born between 1810-1820. She may have died between 1830-1840 or married and has not been accounted for. Senar Jane married in Dearborn Co., so it is possible that the girl married in Ohio or Indiana.