Relatively Speaking Blog

The federal census was instituted by the U.S. constitution to count population to determine the number of representatives each state would receive.  It is also a useful tool for the family researcher, even though the enumerated data can contain errors.  The census has been conducted every ten years beginning in 1790, but some of the early enumerations for several states, like New Jersey, are no longer extant and much of the 1890 census was damaged in a fire.  However, the census records that do survive can give insight into the lives of one’s ancestors.

The census from 1790 to 1840 lists only the heads of the households, with tick marks in columns to count other family members.  These columns were categorized by gender, age ranges, free white persons, free black persons and slaves.  By 1840 the age categories increased from a few to twelve for each gender; this aids in identifying children in the household.  Beginning in 1850 all family members were listed with their age and place of birth.  In subsequent years, other information such as relationship to head of household, immigration information, occupations and special questions for a census year were asked.

One of my ancestors, Josiah Reese, can be found for most census years for which he lived.  Josiah was born March 4, 1832, most likely in Franklin Township, Lycoming County, PA, where he spent most of his life.  In the 1840 census, he was the only male child in the household, and would remain so until 1850 when a baby brother would join him and his sisters.  In 1856 Josiah married Effie Shaner and began his own family.

In the 1860 census Josiah and Effie had 2 children and they resided in Franklin Township, Lycoming County, PA.  Josiah had no value of real or personal estate.  Effie’s younger sister was also living with them and Effie’s uncle, Daniel Dugan, resided a few doors away.

1860 census Franklin Township, Lycoming County PA
Name	Age	Occupation	Place of Birth
Josiah Reece	26	Laborer	PA
Effe Reece	19		PA
Peter M. Reece	1		PA
William H. Reece	3/12		PA
Juliann Shaner	10		PA

By 1870 Josiah had accumulated some value of property and personal estate and their family had grown as well. However, this census only lists three of their seven children who were born when the enumerator visited on June 21, 1870.  Census takers, though, were to only list people living in the household on a certain date, which sometimes was April 1^st of the census year.  Josiah and Effie’s youngest child was a new son, Harvey, born April 21.  His birth probably occurred after the designated date for 1870, which would explain why he was omitted.  As for the other younger children, either they were somehow left off by the enumerator, or with a new baby in the house, they may have temporarily been visiting other family members and never counted.

1870 census Franklin Township, Lycoming County PA
Name	Age	Occupation	Place of Birth
Josiah Reese	37	farmer	PA
Effie Reese	27		PA
Milton Reese	11		PA
Henry Reese	10		PA
Westley Reese	8		PA

The family moved a short distance across the county line to Davidson Township, Sullivan County before the next census in 1880.  Now they had 10 children, all who resided with them, except for William Henry, who had married earlier in 1880 and was living with his wife in Jordan Township Lycoming County PA.  Josiah and his six youngest children are listed as not being able to read nor write.

Searching for Josiah or his family members in the 1900 census has not turned up any leads.  There are a few possibilities of why they have not been found.  I once read that a census taker sometimes accidentally lost or omitted pages, resulting in missing residents in a district.  If the family moved from one location to another, they might have missed the enumerators at both their old and new locations, keeping them from being listed.  One other possibility is the names were incorrectly read and indexed, making a search more difficult.  At any rate, this family has not been located for the 1900 census.

The next census that Josiah is found is the 1910 census.  He had moved back to Lycoming County, this time to Jordan Township and at age 78, he was still farming.  Josiah was now a widower, Effie having died in 1907.  Josiah’s daughter, Mary and her family resided with him.  He died a little over a year from this last census enumeration.

1910 census  Jordan Township, Lycoming County, PA
Name	Relationship to head of household	Age	Marital Status	Years Married	Mother of how many children	Number of children living	Occupation
Josiah Reese	Head	78	Wd				farmer on own farm
Wilson Kile	son-in-law	32	M1	13			laborer in woods
Mary Kile	daughter	31	M1	13	4	4
Emma Kile	granddaughter	13	S
Hurley Kile	grandson	7	S
Eva Kile	granddaughter	1	S

By using the census, a researcher can surmise that Josiah worked hard as he lived to a ripe old age, most likely in good health.  He advanced from a laborer who had no notable wealth to an old farmer who possessed his own farm, free from mortgage.  Listed as not able to read nor write in 1880, he must have striven to master these basic skills as he could perform these tasks by 1910.  He remained during his lifetime in or near the county of his birth and raised a large family of twelve children, most who married and had families of their own.  It is clear to see that through the years Josiah Reese was truly a successful man in both his business and personal affairs.