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From: <>
Subject: [EKYORIGINS] census record
Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1999 13:04:39 EST

Ran across this bit of info and thought it quite interesting. Am sending it
along for you to read. BJ

When you read a census record, think about this...

Census records are considered to be primary sources in genealogy. Census is a
Latin word meaning a count of persons and property for taxation.

>From 1790 through 1820 there were three copies of census' made. (Remember, in
our context here, we mean copies made by hand in handwriting....not the "push
the button and a copy appears" variety.) One copy was sent to the clerk of
the district court and two copies were posted locally in public places for
everyone to see.

In 1830, all back copies from the district court were forwarded to the US
Secretary of State in Washington, DC.

The census records of 1830 and 1840 had only two copies. One copy was sent to
the US District Court, one for the US Secretary of State in Washington, DC.


Remember, on the 1840 census, all the way to the right, there is a column
that lists Revolutionary Soldiers and their ages.

Once again, from 1850 through 1880, three copies were made. One was for the
Clerk of the County Court, one for the Secretary of State and one went to
Washington, DC.

>From 1890 to 1920, only one copy was made and the 1890 copy was almost
totally destroyed by fire.

It is important to view each copy of the census record if you have a doubt or
question. The original of the firsts copy may be in longhand and may include
notes about the family that, by the third copy, the writer had grown weary of
and may have copied only the head of household's last name and first initial.

Remember, after walking/riding the designated beat in the heat or cold, the
census taker returned home and, by candlelight, copied the day's census over
twice.

With thanks to Pine Barrens, the quarterly of the South Georgia Genealogical
Society. Contact the SGGS, 706 Crabapple Dr., Thomasville, GA 31757.

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