52 Ancestors - George W Knox

Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small issued the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge.  Each week focus on one ancestor and post something about him or her.

George W Knox is my 4th great grandfather on my mother's side.

Me-My Mom-Ruby Alberta Belknap-Bessie Beatrice Landers-Angeline Henrietta Littrell-Letis Ellen Knox-George W Knox.

Although I've found quite a few records and information on George, I ran into a brick wall when trying to find anything on him after the 1860 census. Some of the things I discovered about George W Knox:

• George was the son of Moses Knox and Susannah Perkins born in Maine, United States about 1807.
• George marries Clarissa Fuller (daughter of Ezra Fuller and Avis Briggs) September 9, 1827 in Jay, Franklin, Maine.
• George is found in 1830 census living next to his father-in-law Ezra Fuller in Jay with a total of 3 persons - two being himself and Clarissa, and one female being under 5. I think this may have been their oldest daughter, Letis Ellen, born in 1830. 
• George is still in Jay, Maine in the 1840 census. He now has one male under 5 (probably George E), one female between 5-9 (probably Lydia), one female between 10-14 (probably Letis Ellen), and himself and Clarissa. 
• In the 1850, George and his family are living in Mercer County, Illinois at Township 14 N R 4 W. They now have two more children, Sarah and Samantha. According to his daughter's (Letis Ellen) obituary the family came to Mercer County in 1842 by wagon. They are not the only family from Jay, Maine who made the journey to Mercer County, Illinois. George's father and some of his brother's and sister's are part of the group migration, as well as some from Clarissa family. 
• In the 1860 census, George and his family are still in Mercer County, Illinois, with one more child (Joseph Benjamin). 

I've not been able to find George nor Clarissa in the 1870 census, they don't seem to be in Mercer County. But in the 1880 census, his wife (Clarissa) is listed as a widow living  with their children Lydia and Joseph in Abington, Mercer, Illinois. So what happened between 1860 and 1880? 

I've looked for George in other records and have not found much. No gravestone on Find-A-Grave, that I could find. I've looked on Ancestry and Family Search. I posted a query on a message board on Ancestry, and I've even e-mailed the Mercer County Historical Society. They were very helpful in death dates for George's wife and a daughter but nothing on George's death. They even gave me the e-mail of a cousin who has been most helpful.

 If you have any information on George W Knox, please e-mail or leave a comment. Thanks
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More posts about George's family:

Sunday's Obituary - Clarissa Fuller Knox (George's wife obituary)

Fearless Females - Mini Profile (George's daughter, Letis Ellen Knox (Littrell))

Sources: 

"Maine, Marriages, 1771-1907," index, Family Search (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F4FD-YZD: accessed 26 February 2013), George W. Knox and Clarissa S. Fuller; citing Jay,Franklin,Maine, reference ; FHL microfilm 11037.

1830 U.S. Census, Oxford County, Maine, population schedule, Jay, p. 177, line 11, George Knox; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : accessed 7 April 2014); NARA Series: M19; Roll Number: 50; Family History Film: 0497946.

1840 U.S. Census, Franklin County, Maine, population schedule, Jay, p 105., line 9, George Knox; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : accessed 7 April 2014); NARA microfilm publication M704, roll 140, FHL microfilm 0009703.

 1850 U.S. Census, Mercer County, Illinois, population schedule, Township 14 N R 4 W, p. 377A, dwelling 462, family 462, George Knox; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : accessed 7 April 2014); NARA microfilm publication M432.

1860 U.S. Census, Mercer County, Illinois, population schedule, Township 14 N 4 W, Mercer, p. 222, dwelling 1519, family 1519, George W Knox; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : accessed 7 April 2014); NARA microfilm publication M653; FHL microfilm 803211.

Keithsburg Happenings, The Times Record, Aledo, IL, 23 November 1916, Vol XXXIII, #23, Part 2, p. 12. Obituary of Littis Ellen Littrell.