Thank you Frances.... yes I thought John, s/o John Q & Ann Corrin to be the Jack in Nevada in 1880 too...but the census ages I have for him are so inconsistent...as follows,

Like you I found him as aged 9 in 1851 Rushen

In 1861 he is aged 18 (age would be fairly nearly correct for 1880 here) and still living in the IOM. I need to locate his occupation in this census so something still to follow up

In 1870 there is a John Qualtrough, age 26 therefore bn abt 1844 in Silver City, Lewis & Clark Co, Montana, Quartz Miner who I am convinced is the Jack Qualtrough in Nevada in 1880 as in the first posting.

The stumbling block in accepting this John Qualtrough (s/o John and Ann) as Jack in Nevada in 1880 (and the John in Montana in 1870), is that this John was baptised in Rushen (at least according to the IGI) on 10 October 1841!!! which would make him 39 or 40 in 1880, not 37, nor 26 in 1870. Hence my ongoing hesitancy in accepting him as Jack in Nevada.

One other thing is that I have this John married abt 1869 to a Mary Ann Callister.... but this is not set in concrete at this point and may not be the correct John.....

Oh the wonderful intrigue of genealogy ... its these ongoing puzzles which keep up the interest!!

Thanks again for your input.

Elizabeth