Missouri schools?

Hi! I have been trying to find the parents of my husband's grandfather, Joseph William Blackburn. The man we thought was the dad is proving not to be. The only record of Joseph's mother is on his death certificate, Mary Mallonee. Dad is marked as "no record". Joseph was born in Smithfield, Ohio abt October 1870 (according to his military record). I find no proof of him until May 1898 when he joined the Army (from Oklahoma) and went to Cuba in the Spanish American War. My question is this--in the 1880 census for Norborne, Carroll County, Missouri there is a Joseph William Blackburn living with John Tweedie family. John Tweedie's first wife was the sister to the man we THOUGHT for quite a long time was Joseph's dad. I am thinking at his age he would have been in school. Does anyone know if there is any way to look at school records from that time? Or if they even had records at that time? The man we thought was Joseph's dad had a very lengthy will and Joseph was never mentioned. I have tried to see about John Tweedie's will be the historical society (or genealogical society?) has never responded. There are so many coincidences but it just doesn't pull together. I tried for a birth record in Ohio and was told they did not have to register yet and probably did not since no record was found. No dad is ever mentioned in the records I have and the mom is listed only that 1 time. I am stumped. I don't know where else to look. Are those parents lost forever? Any thoughts, ideas or suggestions will sure be appreciated!