u/SeaAd7985

I admit that I'm new to Reddit and, therefore, r/Genealogy . But I thought that perhaps asking for help from like-minded folks might be my next-best step.

I've been stuck finding birth and parental information for my great-grandfather on my namesake side for decades. I'm a member of Ancestry.com and, admittedly, periodically attempt additional searches to no avail. I admit that I've not added a membership to newspapers.com because, well, Ancestry is expensive enough. Therefore, I've not reviewed relevant news articles.

Here's what I know:
Charles (Chas) E Beasley; b. 15-Jun-1866 St. Louis, MO; d. 23-Apr-1950 Cleveland, OH;
m. ~1892 to Adelaide E. Mitchell (b. 14-Mar-1852 Brooklyn, NY; d. 19-Aug-1933 Lakewood, OH)

• May Pearl Beasley; b. 31-Oct-1893 Mt. Vernon, IL; d. 22-May-1922 Lincoln, Logan, IL
• Ira Eugene Beasley; b. 25-Oct-1895 Lakewood, USA; d. 31-Aug-1941 Cleveland, OH

I have multiple census records back to 1900 to confirm this data. But I cannot obtain anything before 1900 directly through Ancestry. I'm under the belief that earlier Illinois and/or Missouri census records before lost, damaged or likely burned in courthouses during the Civil War.

The only thread I know: My father recalled as a child that any discussion including May Pearl was met with hushed tones and/or (a child-perceived) anger -- that he later learned was because she was mentally challenged and committed to the Lincoln State School Colony. It is this one known nugget that I've not yet followed-up, admittedly, assuming there will be an exorbitant cost to unseal medical records across states. Is this a correct assumption?

I assume this group has many people who are not genealogy dabblers like me but more experienced and more creative thinkers. I'm respectfully asking for ideas, help, thoughts. My parents have both passed away and it's this driving force that makes me want to, as I've done for the rest of my ancestors, trace Charles' roots to when they first set foot in America.

Any help would be truly appreciated.