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From: "Cory S. Schick" <>
Subject: [IL-CENTRAL] 1890 Census Myth
Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2000 09:21:24 -0500


Hi everybody

I found some interesting information yesterday regarding the 1890 census -
it was NOT totally destroyed by fire. At the National Archives web site,
there is an article by Kellee Blake called, "First In The Path Of The
Firemen" which tells the story of the fire at the Commerce building. I have
put a few excerpts from it below. But first, according to NARA is what
remains of 1890...... (if your local historical society does not have these
rolls, check with your local universities - I found a listing for the 1890
at the Univ of OK on their online catalogue.)

Happy hunting! - Cory, OKC

Eleventh Census of the United States, 1890, M407. 3 rolls.

Most of the 1890 population schedules were badly damaged by fire in the
Commerce Department Building in January 1921. The extant schedules are
numbered and noted at the end of rolls 1-3 below.

Roll 1 ALABAMA, Perry County (Perryville Beat No.11 and Severe Beat No. 8)
[fragments 1-455]

Roll 2 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Q, 13th, 14th, R, Q, Corcoran, 15th, S, R, and
Riggs Streets, Johnson Avenue, and S Street [fragments 456-781]

Roll 3 GEORGIA, Muscogee County (Columbus); ILLINOIS, McDonough County
(Mound Twp.); MINNESOTA, Wright County (Rockford); NEW JERSEY, Hudson County
(Jersey City); NEW YORK, Westchester County, Eastchester); and Suffolk
County (Brookhaven Twp.); NORTH CAROLINA, Gaston County (South Point Twp.
and River Bend Twp.) and Cleveland County (Twp. No. 2); OHIO, Hamilton
County (Cincinnati) and Clinton County (Wayne Twp.); SOUTH DAKOTA, Union
County (Jefferson Twp.); TEXAS, Ellis County (J.P. No. 6, Mountain Peak, and
Ovilla Precinct), Hood County (Precinct No. 5), Rusk County (No. 6 and J.P.
No. 7), Trinity County (Trinity Town and Precinct No. 2) and Kaufman County
(Kaufman) [fragments 782-1,233]

The article says until Jan. 10, 1921, "the schedules could be found piled in
an orderly manner on closely placed pine shelves in an unlocked file room in
the basement of the Commerce Building." That after the fire, instead of
rescuing federal documents, everyone except the night watchman went home
that night". Further, "Census Director Sam Rogers reported the extensive
damage to the 1890 schedules, estimating 25 percent destroyed, with 50
percent of the remainder damaged by water, smoke, and fire." "Thankfully,
the census schedules of 1790-1820 and 1850-1870 were on the fifth floor of
the Commerce Building and reportedly not damaged. The new 1920 census was
housed in a temporary building at Sixth and B Streets, SW, except for some
of the nonpopulation schedules being used on the fourth floor."

"By May of 1921 the records were still piled in a large warehouse where,
complained new census director William Steuart, they could not be consulted
and would probably gradually deteriorate. Steuart arranged for their
transfer back to the census building, to be bound where possible, but at
least put in some order for reference."

"In December 1932, in accordance with federal records procedures at the
time, the Chief Clerk of the Bureau of Census sent the Librarian of Congress
a list of papers no longer necessary for current business and scheduled for
destruction. He asked the Librarian to report back to him any documents that
should be retained for their historical interest. Item 22 on the list for
Bureau of the Census read "Schedules, Population . . . 1890, Original." The
Librarian identified no records as permanent, the list was sent forward, and
Congress authorized destruction on February 21, 1933." "Ironically, just one
day before Congress authorized destruction of the 1890 census papers,
President Herbert Hoover laid the cornerstone for the National Archives
Building."

See the full article at
http://www.nara.gov/publications/prologue/1890cen1.html
<http://www.nara.gov/publications/prologue/1890cen1.html>; .

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