I am trying to verify that an ancestor of mine, who was a personal representative of the Sovereign and acting out the duties of Canada's Keeper of Customs for (Quebec and Ontario) Between the years of 1820 1830. Are there any government or private resources that contain information about who was the head customs officer for this period for Quebec and Ontario? The individual’s name was Sir Richard Cross.

Probably! As Canada was not yet a country you might find these records are kept in England (see the UK National Archives: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk)

My grandmother was adopted and we already know her mothers family, can i get the records, because i think it names her father. Can i do this or do i need her to do it?

Unfortunately at this time neither of you can do it. Adoption records are currently sealed under Ontario law. There are efforts to change this decision, keep an eye on our Important Announcements page for updates.

2009 Update: Ontario adoption records are now 'open'. The adoptee or their next-of-kin (proof required) can apply for a copy of the adoption record. See Access to Adoption Records Act.

I am missing relatives that are nowhere and am now wondering if, when they did the census from 1851 on did they do census in the Mental Asylums, if so where are they located. I am looking mainly for the Middlesex Ontario area

Mental asylums were enumerated but not under the same schedule as the personal census. Schedule A was the personal census, Schedule B was the agricultural census. Institutions were enumerated under a different schedule - to find this schedule consult the microfilm itself as only Schedules A and B were made available online at Library & Archives Canada. Note that these schedules were only microfilmed for the 1851, 1861 and 1871 census returns.

Would there be any record of an adoption in small town Ontario in 1887? The fact of the adoption was always a well-kept secret. I am interested in learning something of the birth mother and her family.

Prior to the Adoption Act in 1921 formal adoption was rare. For that time period you should seek Guardianship Records (Court Records).