DU Genealogists... Please check in: I have some questions...

[Cooley Hurd]

Since April, I've been researching my genealogy and, while unearthing so many cool facts about my ancestry, I've also run across some questions as well:

1) Census records: In several instances, my great great Grandfather's age is incorrect (variances of 1 - 5 years). He was an Irish immigrant who couldn't, according to records, read or write. Is it possible he didn't know his true age, or did the census takers compute it wrong?

2) Also in census records: My great great great Grandfather (no relation to my Irish g-g grandfather) is listed in the 1791 NJ tax lists, but doesn't show up on any census, previously or subsequently. I've tried soundex searches, and variances of spelling, but to no avail.

Also, I have a picture (taken in 1898 in Parksley, VA) that is intriguing:

My great Grandfather is the gentleman in the middle (my grandfather is the toddler sitting next to him). Wouldn't it be considered unusual to pose with your African-American servants, especially in VA in 1898? The reason I ask is because this might point to my great grandfather being pretty progressive for his era... Does anyone have any thoughts on this?