Hi Alan:
My father was George Willis Acres, Jr. born 2-5-1919 son of George Willis Acres, Sr. and Jessie Collins Southall Acres.
My great grandfather was William Acres (born about 1834 in Gibraltar, Spain) who married Adela Molinari. Their children were George Willis Acres (my ggf), Arthur Acres,
Thomas Acres, Emilly Acres and Polly Acres. William and Adela lived in Burlington, Iowa and Des Moines, Iowa according to the 1880 USA Census. My father had always told me that we were Irish...but they seemed to have trouble tracing the Acres back from Gibraltar, Spain....maybe this is part of your missing link and ours..
Please contact me so we can find out.