1a.  LDS.  Family Search: Internet Genealogy Service:  IGI - International Genealogical Index (online at FamilySearch.org).

Eli HOVIS Spouse: Nancy H. G. STROUPE Marriage: 08 Apr 1852, Gaston, North Carolina Source: patron submission

Eli HOVIS Spouse: Nancy Lavina HOFFMAN Marriage: 29 Mar 1860, Madison, Missouri Source: Marriage Records, 1821-1958. Madison County (Missouri). Clerk of the Circuit Court

2.  1860 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #18 of 19):  Fredericktown P.O., German Twp., Madison Co., MO, Roll M653_631, p. 76, PN 76, 562/562, enumerated 9 Jul 1860, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1860 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):

Eli Hovis	36	M		Farmer	1000	800	North Carolina
Nancy G Hovis	20	F		Wife			Missouri

Eli was age 30 in the 1850 census and age 50 in 1870.

3.  1870 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #12 of 22):  Marquand P.O., German Twp., Madison Co., MO, Roll M593_790, p. 318B, PN 12, 86/87, enumerated 29 Jul 1870, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1870 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):

Hovis Eli	50	M	W	Farmer	1000	500	N Carolina
_____ Nancy L	30	F	W	Keeping House			Missouri
_____ Margaret E	5	F	W				Missouri
_____ Nancy E	3	F	W				Missouri

Where are Catherine and Mary?

4.  1880 Census Every-Name-Index/Images (online at Ancestry.com, Image #20-21 of 28):  German Twp., Madison Co., MO, Roll T9-0702, p. 63D-64A, PN 20-21, SD 2, ED 61, enumerated 14/15 Jun 1880, official enumeration date 1 Jun 1880 (extracted by Diana Gale Matthiesen):

1880:  for an explanation of the column headings, please see What the Numbers in the Federal Census Mean (missing columns contained no data).

1

2

3

4

5

6

8

9

10

13

21

23

24

25

26

191

201

Hovis Eli

W

M

54

/

Farming

NC

NC

NC

_____ Lavina

W

F

40

Wife

/

House Keeping

/

MO

NC

NC

_____ Mary A

W

F

18

Dau

/

MO

NC

MO

[next page]

191

201

Hovis Margret E

W

F

13

Dau

/

/

MO

NC

MO

_____ Nancy E

W

F

12

Dau

/

/

MO

NC

MO

_____ Noah

W

M

10

Son

/

/

MO

NC

MO

_____ Lovina?

W

F

7

Dau

/

/

MO

NC

MO

_____ John A

W

M

4

Son

/

MO

NC

MO

_____ Rosa L

W

F

1

Dau

/

MO

NC

MO

5.  1890 Census:  the 1890 Census Population Schedules were destroyed.

6.  Elizabeth Hoyle Rucker.  c1938.  The Genealogy of Peiter Heyl and His Descendants, 1110-1936...  Zolliecoffer Jenks Thompson et al., Shelby, NC (online at HeritageQuest at Genealogy.com):

p. 300

1203 ELI HOVIS (250) b. 1815, m. 1839, Nancy Stroup, and later, Lavina Hoffman, dau. of Jacob Hoffman III. His children:   Catherine Hovis...  4623 ...  b  1840,  d y. Mary Ann Hovis....  4624 ...  b  1845.    Jacob Hovis.......  4625 ...  b  1847.    Margaret Hovis....  4626 ...  b  1849.    Nancy Hovis.......  4627 ...  b  1851.    Louisa Hovis......  4628 ...  b  1853.    Noah Hovis........  4629 ...  b  1855.    John Hovis........  4630 ...  b  1857.    Rosa Hovis........  4631 ...  b  1859.

As a source, Rucker has been demonstrated over and over that she was guessing wildly at dates.  Even so, it's hard to believe any author could assert dates that were so wrong.

7.  LDS.  Family Search: Internet Genealogy Service: Pedigree Resource File (index to CDs, online at FamilySearch.org).