Is it me or does any one else..... [closed]

Question

or does any one else HATE the census before the 1860's or so that only use marks for the number of people?  I hate them.  I am so afraid I will pick the wrong census/family. I tend to avoid them.  Like.The.Plague.

Has any one found a way to deal/use them effectively without cringing every time you see one?

Comments

The older (U.S.) census forms (1790 through 1840) are what they are, Betty. We can only use the data that was actually recorded.

That's why we look for other types of documents to source our ancestors' lives!

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Betty,

Yes, a frustration but that is what is what is available.  Still knowing that several families lived near to each other in these early records can be useful.  Think of them as a hint, a bread crumb that may help lead to a little more information.

Answer 1

YES!! 1850 lists members of household too. Anything prior to that, I only use for reference. It makes me sad how much valuable information was omitted (as if MEN were the only citizens to matter :(

Comments

Yep, 1850+ good, 1840- bad. Well, I can prove my one female ancestor was widowed before 1830 because she is head of household on that census, but I've looked at lots and lots of the early ones and that's all I got. Oh, there was another guy with the same first+last name as one of my ancestors in a neighboring Kentucky county in 1810 (because two records, two grave markers, two different death years, two sets of wives and children...), so I sent a major correction to a FindAGrave Profile manager and some persons that were blindly merging away. Told 'em to get off my lawn. That's about it.

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My thoughts EXACTLY!  It really shows the ego of men when women and children are not considered important enough to be included in such an important document.  I could really shake them.

I have spent a bit of time with a few only to come to the conclusion I either had the wrong family, or I didn't have enough info to correctly compare them. (I only have 5 kids and the census has 7)  UGH!!!!

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Right....women could only have land if they were a widow and even then, at times a brother or brother-in-law could/would have to take it all over.  That REALLY sucks!  I found an 1850 census, today in fact, that actually listed names.  I was very pleased!  It has TWO of my families on it.  Maybe more.  I need to look at it complete.  When I first saw the year I groaned, aloud!  I peekend anyway.  Glad I did.  :)

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Then, too, you have to remember they weren't keeping the census for genealogical purposes. Probably mainly for tax purposes.

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Good point Lucy, did not even think to remember that. :)

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Now that you mention it...I sort of long for the days when the government was not "all up in our business" and Google didn't know what I ate for breakfast, or what brand of applesauce I prefer ;)

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They always seem to find a way, am sure something will pop up to keep them in the "loop".  :)

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Now that you mention it...I sort of long for the days when the government was not "all up in our business" and Google didn't know what I ate for breakfast, or what brand of applesauce I prefer ;)

Back in "the day" (1790s-1840s), the United States Census was probably the only contact most residents had with their federal government - once every 10 years.

Nowadays, it seems like our federal government is in our faces every 10 SECONDS!!

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No, it doesn't seem like our federal government is in our faces every 10 SECONDS!!

Answer 2

Yes, frustrating, but there is still some valuable information. Just this afternoon I looked at one from 1840. The sex and ages exactly matched the husband, wife and their six children. I still have to check them in 1820 and 1830. Finding the sister or cousin living with them in 1820 could be really tough.

If you are looking at anyone in New York the 1855 and 1865 have relationships, like wife, son, etc. The image also has the birth County if born in New York.

The purpose of the census is to count the population to determine the number of representatives in the House of Representatives.

You can thank the census for many of the modern map products you use. The Census Bureau was at the forefront of using computers for mapping as early as 1970 (the census takers need to know where to go).

Comments

I've also gotten some very useful information from those lists of ages and other information in the pre-1850 censuses. Thanks for sharing your success today with the 1840 census!

Answer 3

Census Data for Family of Ashbel and Loraine Fuller

 

I used the Census for 1800-1850 to confirm the data from Fuller, William Hyslop. Genealogy of some Descendants of Edward Fuller of the Mayflower (C.B. Fiske & Co., 1908) pp 230-231 image and flip pages for 235-239.

I also was able to get a better estimate for the death of a child who lived only a few years.

Discovered that there were 3 unknown individuals living with them iin the 1830's. Maybe distant relatives, servants or boarders.