William Harper Irwin family in 1900's

William Harper Irwin family in 1900's
William Harper Irwin family in 1900's Back row L-R:Harry, Nora, William, Front row: L-R: Leona, Livonia, William, Ansel

Monday, February 28, 2011

Free Webinars: Online Seminars

 

http://learn.ancestry.com/LearnMore/Webinars.aspx

Webinars: Online Seminars

Note: There is no cost to register for webinars. Audience members may arrive 15 minutes before scheduled webinars. Archived Webinars below contain actual video and may be viewed at any time at no cost.

Upcoming Events

First Steps #2: Tips for Successful Searches, 8 PM ET

Date of Presentation: Monday, February 28, 2011

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Ancestry.com is home to more than 6 billion records in more than 30,000 collections. But what’s the best way find what you’re looking for in all that information? Join Juliana Smith, editor of the Ancestry Weekly Discovery e-newsletter to learn how to make the powerful search tools at Ancestry.com work for you so to help you locate your ancestor, discover their stories and so much more.

First Steps #3: Now What? How to Use Your Discoveries to Make Your Next Big Find, 1 PM ET

Date of Presentation: Wednesday, March 09, 2011

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Wait! That census record you just saved may hold the key your next big find. Join Juliana Smith, editor of the Ancestry Weekly Discovery e-newsletter to learn how to get every clue from a record. She’ll show you how to use what you find one a record to help you move back through time and unlock the stories your ancestor left behind.

 

Archived Events

 

Family Tree Maker 2011 Charts and Reports

Date of Presentation: Wednesday, February 16, 2011

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Family history is a great way to connect with your past. And Family Tree Maker can help you illustrate your family story and share it with friends and family members. Join us on Wednesday, February 16th at 8:00 pm (Eastern Standard Time) for a free webinar that focuses on creating charts and report. You'll learn how to design and print charts, run effective reports, discover what print functionalities are on each workspace, create individual and family slide shows, and more.

First Steps #1: Getting Started at Ancestry.com, 8 PM ET

Date of Presentation: Monday, February 07, 2011

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New to Ancestry.com? Join Juliana Smith, editor of the Ancestry Weekly Discovery e-newsletter, in this introductory course and learn how Ancestry.com can assist you in your family history journey. Learn how to navigate the site, search for your ancestors in the more than 30,000 collections on Ancestry.com, and start an online tree to organize your finds.

 

First Steps: Getting Started at Ancestry.com, 1 PM EST

Date of Presentation: Thursday, January 13, 2011

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Get your family history research charged for the New Year in this free online class, First Steps: Getting Started at Ancestry.com. Join Juliana Smith, editor of the Weekly Discovery,  in this introductory course and learn how Ancestry.com can assist you in your family history journey.

 

Common Surnames: Ways to Identify Your Ancestors in a Crowd, 1:00 PM EST

Date of Presentation: Tuesday, December 28, 2010

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Exhausted from chasing a common surname? Sign up for our FREE online class, Common Surnames: Ways to Identify Your Ancestors in a Crowd. Join Ancestry Weekly Discovery editor Juliana Szucs Smith as she divulges her own tricks for separating an ancestor from every other person by the same name.

 

Interviewing Family: Tips and Techniques

Date of Presentation: Thursday, December 16, 2010

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Everyone has a story to tell. Find out how you can get Aunt Mabel and the rest of your family to tell you their tale. Simple, easy and fun tips and techniques will make it a cinch.

 

Family Tree Maker 2011 New Features

Date of Presentation: Wednesday, September 15, 2010

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Join our product experts as they demonstrate how to get the most out of the exciting new features available in Family Tree Maker 2011.  Additionally, we will have some of our developers - the folks behind the scenes - answer some of your questions.  We hope you will join us and the Family Tree Maker community to find out more about Family Tree Maker 2011.

 

Coming to America: Finding Your Immigrant Ancestors

Date of Presentation: Wednesday, September 01, 2010

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Your immigrant ancestor's trip to America is among the most compelling chapters in your family history. Join Juliana Smith for a free online class to learn what you need to know to identify your ancestor in passenger arrival records, places to find those details, and how to discover the story of your ancestor's voyage to America in the records you find. A printable outline (PDF file) with links to collections mentioned in this class is available here: http://bit.ly/bAwSby

Family Tree Maker 2010 Advanced Topics

Date of Presentation: Wednesday, June 16, 2010

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Have you mastered the basics of Family Tree Maker and you're ready to learn more? Join the Family Tree Maker 2010 team as we take you on a tour and demonstrate some of the advanced features available in Family Tree Maker 2010 - Ancestry's premium family tree software.

Finding Your Military Heroes on Ancestry.com

Date of Presentation: Wednesday, May 26, 2010

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Investigating and preserving the stories of the military heroes in your family tree is a wonderful way to honor their service. In this webinar, Juliana Smith, editor of the Ancestry Weekly Discovery, will show you how to identify family members who served, determine what records are available, and find his or her story in those records. In this free one-hour class, you'll see examples of some of the records you can find on Ancestry.com, get search tips, and learn how to use that information to take your family history further.Copy and paste this link in your browser to download the notes for this class. http://bit.ly/bOEcsY

 

Finding Females in Your Family Tree

Date of Presentation: Wednesday, May 12, 2010

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Genealogists love playing detective as we solve our family history mysteries. Most of us, though, have a few unsolved mysteries regarding the women in our family trees. Join genealogy professional Mary Penner as she outlines strategies for tracing our elusive women in a free webinar, “Finding Females in Your Family Tree.” Her presentation, filled with tips and examples, will help you ramp up your detective skills in order to close the case on your mystery women.

Getting the Most Out of Your Ancestry.com Subscription

Date of Presentation: Thursday, April 08, 2010

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Are you using your Ancestry.com subscription to its full potential? Get an inside look at historical records, tree-building, and search tools. Discover new ways to utilize the site to discover, preserve and share your family history. 

Getting Started on Ancestry.com

Date of Presentation: Tuesday, April 06, 2010

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New to Ancestry.com? Long-term genealogist and author of the Ancestry Weekly Discovery, Juliana Smith, will help you find your first family member on a historical record. Note: This webinar is intended for those who are new to Ancestry.com but can also be used as a refresher course for more experienced users. 

Avoid Traps in African American Genealogy

Date of Presentation: Thursday, March 11, 2010

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Even the most seasoned genealogist can make mistakes, especially when it comes to the complexities of African American research. World-renowned genealogy expert Tony Burroughs has taken wrong paths in his decades of research, but has discovered ways to avoid some common missteps. Benefit from his unique wisdom and experience with Ancestry.com as we present “Avoid Traps in African American Genealogy.” This free webinar offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to journey with one of the world’s foremost genealogists and find success as you search for your Black roots.

Best Strategies for Searching Ancestry.com

Date of Presentation: Wednesday, October 14, 2009

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With 4 billion records available on Ancestry.com, discovering your family’s story is easier than ever. Join our Ancestry.com experts as they teach you the best ways to search for—and find—your ancestors.  

Family Tree Maker 2010 New Features Demo

Date of Presentation: Wednesday, September 30, 2009

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Learn about the new features in Family Tree Maker 2010 with our product experts. Join us, and we’ll show you how to make the most of your new Family Tree Maker. Additionally, we will have some of our developers from the Family Tree Maker team to help with answer some of your questions. We encourage you to submit questions in advance by visiting our Family Tree Maker blog. We hope you will join our team and the Family Tree Maker community as we try to give you the tools to get the most out of Family Tree Maker.

Genealogy in Gotham: New York City Research

Date of Presentation: Wednesday, September 16, 2009

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Between 1820 and 1920 over 82% of immigrants to the United States came through the port of New York. Even if they migrated elsewhere, over 100,000,000 Americans have an ancestral paper trail that involves New York City. Learn how to trace your New York ancestors, whether they were passing through or called it home.

Ancestry World Archives Project: New Features Demo (U.S.)

Date of Presentation: Wednesday, September 09, 2009

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We've made a few changes! Join Anna and Crista for a demonstration of the new features in the keying tool and to learn a few tips and tricks to improve your keying and arbitration experience. If you have questions you would like the World Archives Project team to answer please submit them in an email with "webinar" in the subject line to worldarchivesproject@ancestry.com.

European Research: Tips and Tools for Success

Date of Presentation: Tuesday, July 21, 2009

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International research doesn’t have to be foreign to you. Your ancestor’s homeland may seem far, far away, and your goals of researching those Old World ancestors may seem just as distant. But there has never been a better time for family historians embarking on international research. There are many new tools at your fingertips that can help you overcome many of the challenges inherent in international research.

Using MyCanvas to Make Descendant Family History Books and Posters

Date of Presentation: Thursday, July 16, 2009

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Make a lasting impression at this year’s family reunion with a descendant family tree poster or descendant-based family history book. In this hour-long webinar, you’ll learn how to create a book or poster that your relatives will be talking about long after the reunion’s over. Descendant books and posters also make great birthday and anniversary gifts.

Genetic Genealogy Made Easy

Date of Presentation: Wednesday, July 08, 2009

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If you discovered a dusty set of 1852 county courthouse records in your grandmother's attic, you'd take a look, right? Not getting a DNA test is like leaving those records unexplored--you may be missing out on amazing leads. Our panel explains the basics of Ancestry.com DNA testing. We'll present a simple science overview, how to take the test, and the payoffs for family history. Learn how: - DNA testing for genealogy works--in easy terms. - To understand and apply your results to grow your tree. - Ancestry.com DNA testing can continue to pay off for years. - Women can benefit from a paternal lineage test. - To use Ancestry.com DNA features: Groups, Transfer to Tree, and Ancient Ancestry

The Canadian Historical Censuses, 1851-1916

Date of Presentation: Thursday, June 18, 2009

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Come join our Ancestry.ca specialist - Lesley Anderson - and Glenn Wright in this one hour online seminar as they walk through the history of the Canadian Census. They’ll tackle effective search techniques, and tips which will cover each census year – 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1906, 1911 and 1916.

Military Records on Ancestry.com

Date of Presentation: Tuesday, May 19, 2009

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Whether the veteran in your family served in the Revolutionary War 200 years ago or is serving in the current conflict in Iraq, we can help you discover his or her story. In this webinar, three U.S. content specialists from Ancestry.com will walk you through our collection of military records—the largest online collection of military records available on the web. Besides showing you what records we have available for each of the major U.S. conflicts (e.g., Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWI, WWII, Vietnam, Korean War, etc.), they will show you some common record types, such as draft cards, muster rolls, and pension files, and teach you what information you can expect to glean about your veteran from each one. Copy and paste this link in your browser to download the outline and notes on this class: http://bit.ly/bOEcsY

Planning a Perfect Family Reunion

Date of Presentation: Thursday, May 14, 2009

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A family reunion can be as simple as a backyard barbecue or it can encompass a multi-day event attended by the entire extended family. Planning a successful reunion means defining the size and scope, location, activities, and food for the event. It also entails planning something for everyone. A larger event takes the help and cooperation of a number of people with the skills who can help. Regardless of the size and location of your reunion, genealogist and event planner George G. Morgan will guide you through the essential processes for planning, organizing, and enjoying your family reunion. Join us for this free one hour webinar and learn how to make your next family reunion unforgettable. The webinar will begin at 9 p.m. Eastern Time (8 Central, 7 Mountain, 6 Pacific).

Ancestry.com Town Hall Meeting

Date of Presentation: Monday, May 04, 2009

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This webinar was broadcast on: 05/04/2009 08:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time At this Town Hall Meeting on May 4th our senior management shared important news about your membership and outlined the direction for the remainder of 2009, including information on key website and collections projects.  We also had a great Q & A session.

Creative Gift Ideas for Moms, Dads, & Grads

Date of Presentation: Wednesday, April 08, 2009

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Learn how to create meaningful, one-of-a-kind gifts that take an hour or less to make. John Pereira and Stefanie Condie will show you how to use the MyCanvas publishing service to build family tree posters, photo books and more. MyCanvas makes it easy to create a Mother’s Day-themed photo book, a family tree poster honoring your dad’s heritage or a graduation poster celebrating an important milestone in the life of someone you love. 

Conquering the Challenge of Reading Handwritten Documents - Session II

Date of Presentation: Thursday, March 19, 2009

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In our research we all encounter source documents - whether the documents we look at are from this century or centuries past they can be equally difficult to read if the handwriting isn't "clear".  And, if you are a contributor to the World Archives Project you take on the task of reading hand written documents and keying the information that will become an index that you and other researchers will use.  Whether you are a beginning researcher, a more seasoned researcher, or a keyer we invite you to join us for an hour of learning and sharing tips that will improve your skills in deciphering handwritten documents. If you would like to submit a question in advance please post a comment on the World Archives Project blog.

Family Tree Maker 2009 New Features Demo

Date of Presentation: Thursday, March 12, 2009

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Join the Family Tree Maker 2009 team as we take you through a tour and demo some of the new features just added to Family Tree Maker 2009 - Ancestry's premium family tree software. In this webinar we will share tips and tricks to help you get the most out of these new features in Family Tree Maker 2009. Additionally, we will have some of our developers from the Family Tree Maker team to help answer some of your questions. We encourage you to submit questions in advance by visiting our Family Tree Maker blog. We hope you will join out team and the Family Tree Maker community as we try to give you the tools to get the most out of Family Tree Maker.

Making a Breakthrough in your African American Research

Date of Presentation: Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Watch Video

African American research poses unique challenges.  That’s why Ancestry.com and Wal-Mart have partnered up to present a free, one-hour webinar on researching your Black roots.  African American research specialist Marjorie Sholes will take you step-by-step through the process she used to trace one of her own ancestors, showing you the tips and tricks she discovered along the way.  In particular, she’ll focus on how to identify slave owners to unlock the history of your slave ancestors.  You’ll also learn what resources are available on Ancestry.com and elsewhere to aid in your research.

Using MyCanvas to Print and Share Your Family Stories

Date of Presentation: Wednesday, January 21, 2009

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Join us for a live demonstration of Ancestry.com’s MyCanvas publishing service. John Pereira and Stefanie Condie will offer expert advice and answer questions submitted by the Ancestry.com community. 

Keyed In: Learn the Ins and Outs of Arbitration

Date of Presentation: Thursday, January 15, 2009

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Come and explore the world of arbitration with us.  We will walk through the arbitration process, dive into the keying guidelines and provide insights into how you can become a better keyer through arbitrating.  Whether you are an arbitrator or a contributor you’ll come away with a better understanding of the World Archives Project.

Family Tree Maker 2009

Date of Presentation: Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Watch Video

Join the Family Tree Maker 2009 webinar for a tour of the new features in Ancestry’s premium family tree software.  This webinar will offer a demonstration of new features, and share tips and tricks to help you get the most out of Family Tree Maker 2009.  Additionally, you can get a sneak peek of some of the features that will be available in future enhancements to Family Tree Maker 2009. We’ll also take some time to answer questions that have been submitted from the Family Tree Maker community.  If you’d like to submit a question, please visit the Family Tree Maker blog.       

Discover Your Jewish Family History at Ancestry.com

Date of Presentation: Wednesday, November 05, 2008

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Ancestry has partnered with JewishGen.org and American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee to create the world's largest online repository of Jewish Family History collections. The combined databases comprise nearly 26 million records of Jews that can be searched by Ancestry's world class technology. Some collections are reserved for subscribers, while millions of records remain freely accessible to the public. Jewish genealogy expert Gary Mokotoff will walk us through the North American, European, Holocaust and other significant Jewish collections on Ancestry.com. He will highlight some of the benefits this collection and search technology will provide to people searching for their Jewish heritage.

The World Archives Project

Date of Presentation: Thursday, October 23, 2008

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Come learn about the World Archives Project – Ancestry.com’s new community indexing program that gives people around the world the opportunity to save historical records important to them. Learn the tips and tricks to quick, easy indexing and how the World Archives Project differs from other indexing programs out there. Find out all of the individual benefits you receive as an indexer for the project. Here’s your chance to hear from David Graham, senior product manager for the World Archives Project, as he discusses the project and demonstrates the software.

Saving Family Treasures

Date of Presentation: Wednesday, October 15, 2008

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Whether you want to learn how to preserve a wedding dress, a photograph album, or newspaper clippings this practical presentation will explore the types of damage that can occur to items passed down in the family. The webinar will cover many objects, from clothing and jewelry to paper based family history documents and beyond. You’ll learn some common sense tips on how you can save your heritage for the next generation without spending a fortune. We'll even discuss how to hire a conservator for those difficult preservation problems.

German Ancestry

Date of Presentation: Tuesday, July 08, 2008

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Come join Raymond S. Wright III, PhD, who specializes in German research and Angie Panser, a native of Austria who specializes in the deciphering and translation of German Handwritten Script as well as Old German Print. Together we will present practical examples and suggestions on how to use records, databases and archives to start or advance your German genealogy.

Italian Ancestry

Date of Presentation: Tuesday, July 01, 2008

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This web seminar will feature an overview of how to trace your immigrant ancestor from the US to Italy, and cover the basics of Italian jurisdictions, repositories, and record types, to help you discover and explore more about your Italian heritage.

Polish Ancestry

Date of Presentation: Tuesday, June 24, 2008

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It’s a wonderful time to begin your Polish research. Ceil Jensen, Certified Genealogist, will dispel myths that records were destroyed during the World Wars and that language barriers make research difficult. She will present practical examples and suggestions on how to use records, databases and archives to start or advance your Polish genealogy research

Irish Ancestry

Date of Presentation: Tuesday, June 17, 2008

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This webinar offers a general overview of Irish family history, covering basic the principles, practices, and records needed to find your Irish ancestors. We will explore tracing the immigrant ancestor; briefly review name and place issues; highlight the key church, civil, land valuation, and census records; and touch upon the best websites for Irish family history.

English Ancestry

Date of Presentation: Tuesday, June 03, 2008

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Confused about where to start with your English ancestors? Now is a wonderful time to start. Echo King, AG® presents examples of the major record types that are used in research in England and Wales, ways to access them, and suggestions on how to use them to trace your family tree.

Family Tree Maker 2008 (also for FTM 2009)

Date of Presentation: Thursday, October 25, 2007

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Originally created for Family Tree Maker 2008, this webinar is also helpful for version 2009.  You'll get an overview of the product workspaces and how to work effectively with Family Tree Maker.  You'll also hear some background behind the rewrite of Family Tree Maker 2008.

Ancestry.com Family History Wiki

 

http://www.ancestry.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page 

Welcome to the Ancestry.com Family History Wiki

A great place to learn more about family history

A service from Ancestry.com

Learn more

Get started

Census records

Immigration records

Military records

Vital records

African American research

Jewish American research

Record types

State research

County research

Town research

Societies

Archives

Read the Featured Article

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Selected Proceedings and Courts

Adoption records usually result from court processes, although there are three methods through which adoption can take place: (1) agreement without judicial proceedings, (2) agreement filed in a court of law and accompanied by court order, and (3) petition filed in a court of law and accompanied by a court order. The first method is not considered legally binding in most states today. Read more here.

Explore the Wiki

The Ancestry.com Wiki is made up of four kinds of fantastic content:

· The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy

· Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources

· Other great Ancestry.com content

· Content added by you

We know that each genealogist is an expert in his or her own field and we invite you share your expertise. If that means correcting some outdated information from one of our printed sources, that’s great. If it means writing a brand new article about a topic we haven’t covered yet, even better.

Contribute to the Wiki

Our wiki is growing fast, but you can help it grow even faster. Check out some of these pages that are just waiting to be created. To get started, click the title and start writing.

· Association of Professional Genealogists

· Periodical Source Index

· Soldiertown, Maine

· Tintype

· 1890 Census Substitute

See the whole list here. For help writing and editing articles, see our help page.

Get Help

The Ancestry.com Wiki is built using MediaWiki, the same platform used by Wikipedia, the FamilySearch Wiki, and WeRelate, so if you have used any of those great resources, your knowledge should transfer perfectly. In any case, the following articles are here to help you master the Ancestry.com Wiki.

· Registering and logging in

· Editing an article

· Starting a new article

· Keeping track of interesting articles

· Adding an image to an article

For more help, go to our user guide

List of Useful Census References

 

http://www.ancestry.com/wiki/index.php?title=List_of_Useful_Census_References

From Ancestry.com Wiki

This article originally appeared in "Census Records" by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Matthew Wright in The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy

The following references originally appeared in The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy.

Contents

 

A

The 1790–1890 Federal Population Censuses: Catalog of National Archives Microfilm. Washington, D.C.: National Archives Trust Fund Board, 1993.

Anderson, Robert C., et al. “Duplicate Census Enumerations.” American Genealogist vol. 62, no. 2 (April 1987): 97–105; vol. 62, no. 3 (July 1987): 173–81; vol. 62, no. 4 (October 1987): 241–44.

B

Barrows, Robert G. “The Ninth Federal Census of Indianapolis: A Case Study in Civic Chauvinism.” Indiana Magazine of History vol. 73, no. 1 (March 1977): 1–16.

Bureau of the Census. A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1909; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1967.

Bureau of the Census. Fourteenth Census of the United States, January 1, 1920: Instructions to Enumerators. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1919.

Bureau of the Census. Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790. 12 vols. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1908.

Bureau of the Census. Records of State Enumerations, 1782–1785. 1908; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1970.

Burroughs, Tony. Black Roots: A Beginner's Guide to Tracing The African American Family Tree. New York City: Fireside, 2001.

C

Carpenter, Niles. Immigrants and Their Children 1920: A Study Based on Census Statistics Relative to the Foreign Born and the Native White of Foreign or Mixed Parentage. Census Monographs VII. Washington, D.C.: Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1927.

Census Enumeration District Descriptions, 1830–1890 and 1910–1950. National Archives Microfilm Publication T-1224, 146 rolls.

Census Enumeration District Descriptions, 1900. National Archives Microfilm Publication T-1210, 10 rolls.

A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services. 1841, various years. Reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1996.

Conzen, Michael P. “Spatial Data from Nineteenth Century Manuscript Censuses: A Technique for Rural Settlement and Land Use Analysis.” Professional Geographer vol. 21, no. 5 (September 1969): 337–43. A primer on mapping the enumerator's route.

Creekmore, Pollyanna. Early East Tennessee Tax-Payers. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1980.

D

Davenport, David P. “Duration of Residence in the 1855 Census of New York State.” Historical Methods 18, no. 1 (Winter 1985): 5–12.

Davidson, Katherine H., and Charlotte M. Ashby, comps. Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Bureau of the Census. Preliminary Inventory No. 161. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service, 1964.

Delle Donne, Carmen R. Federal Census Schedules, 1850–80: Primary Sources for Historical Research. Reference Information Paper 67. 1973.

deValinger, Leon, Jr. Reconstructed Census for Delaware. Washington, D.C.: National Genealogical Society, 1954.

Dollarhide, William. New York: State Censuses & Substitutes. Bountiful, Utah: Heritage Creations, 2005.

Dubester, Henry J. State Censuses: An Annotated Bibliography of Censuses of Population Taken After the Year 1790 by States and Territories of the United States. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of the Census, 1948; reprint, Knightstown, Ind.: Bookmark, 1975.

E

Eichholz, Alice. Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources. Rev. ed. Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004. Chapters appear alphabetically by state. Within each state chapter is a description of available federal, state, special, and local censuses and their respective finding aids.

———, and James M. Rose, comps. Free Black Heads of Households in the New York State Federal Census 1790–1830. Gale Genealogy and Local History Series, vol. 14. Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1981.

F

Fishbein, Meyer H. The Censuses of Manufacturers, 1810–1890. Reference Information Paper 50. 1973.

Fothergill, Augusta B., and John M. Naugle. Virginia Tax Payers 1782–1787. Other Than Those Published in the United States Census Bureau. 1940; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1971.

Franklin, W. Neil, comp. Federal Population and Mortality Census Schedules, 1790–1890 in the National Archives and the States: Outline of a Lecture on Their Availability, Content and Use. Special List no. 24. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration, 1971. The greater part of this work describes the federal censuses and their availability in 1971. However, a discussion of mortality schedules is still valid. The compiler's bibliography cites some relatively obscure but important finding aids.

Frederick, Nancy Gubb. 1880 Illinois Census Index, Soundex Codes O-200 to O240. Evanston, Ill.: the compiler, 1981.

G

A General Index to a Census of Pensioners . . . 1840. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1965.

Georgia Department of Archives and History. Some Early Tax Digests of Georgia. Atlanta: Department of Archives, 1926.

Giltner, Charlotte L. “Interpreting the 1790 Census.” Detroit Society for Genealogical Research Magazine 51, no. 3 (Spring 1988): 110, 112.

Green, Kellee. “The Fourteenth Numbering of the People: The 1920 Federal Census.” Prologue 23, no. 2 (Summer 1991): 131–45.

Greenwood, Val D. The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy. 2nd ed. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1990. Particularly pp. 181–253.

Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1983. Particularly pp. 9–38.

H

Heinemann, Charles B. “First Census” of Kentucky, 1790. 1940; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1971.

Hinckley, Kathleen W. Your Guide to the Federal Census: For Genealogists, Researchers, and Family Historians. Cincinnati: Betterway Books, 2002.

Hollingsworth, Harry. “History and Availability of United States Census Schedules, 1850–1880.” Genealogical Journal vol. 7, no. 3 (September 1978): 143–50.

I

Indexes to Manufacturers' Census of 1820: An Edited Printing of the Original Indexes and Information. Reprint, Knightstown, Ind.: Bookmark, n.d.

J

Justesen, Elaine, and Ann Hughes, comps. New York City 1915 State Census Street Address Index. Edited by Raymond G. Matthews. Vol. 1, Manhattan. Salt Lake City: Family History Library, 1992.

L

Lainhart, Ann S. State Census Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1992.

M

McLeod, Dean L. “Record Source Failure; Some Implications for Analysis.” Genealogical Journal vol. 7, no. 2 (June 1978): 98–105.

Mariner, Mary Lou Craver, and Patricia Roughan Bellows. A Research Aid for the Massachusetts 1910 Federal Census. Sudbury, Mass.: Computerized Assistance, 1988. An index by towns and counties of enumeration districts, wards, and precincts and where to locate them on the microfilm. Enables a researcher to find town by roll, volume, and page number. Includes a large foldout street map of 1910 Boston with the wards indicated, plus county maps for the entire commonwealth.

N

National Archives and Records Administration. Federal Population and Mortality Schedules, 1790–1910, in the National Archives and the States. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1986. Two microfiche.

———. Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives. 3rd. ed. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2001.

National Archives and Records Service. Cartographic Records of the Bureau of the Census. Preliminary Inventory no. 103. Washington, D.C., 1958. Includes a concise administrative history of federal census-taking. Following the inventory is a list showing the availability in the National Archives of maps of enumeration districts for each of the censuses, 1880 to 1940. The list is arranged by state, thereunder by county, and thereunder by locality.

———. Geographic Index to Census Microfilm (Major Subdivisions). This is the title of National Archives and Records Service Form NAR T56, bound, processed sets of completed copies of which comprise this finding aid. The forms are arranged alphabetically by state and thereunder alphabetically by county and major city. The forms show, for each subdivision, where applicable, the numbers assigned the rolls of microfilm that reproduce the schedules for that subdivision for each of the decennial censuses, 1800 to 1880. Sets of this finding aid are available for use in the Microfilm Reading Room of the National Archives.

———. Population Schedules, 1800–1870: Volume Index to Counties and Major Cities. National Archives and Records Service Lists, no. 8. Washington, D.C., 1969. Each bound volume of schedules in the National Archives bears an identifying number which is shown in this publication. Its arrangement is alphabetical by name of state and thereunder by name of county.

———. Records of the Bureau of the Census. Preliminary Inventory no. 161. Washington, D.C., 1964. Includes an administrative history of census-taking, an outline of preservation problems, and a description of the population schedules (1790 to 1950).

National Archives Trust Fund Board. Federal Population Censuses, 1790–1890: A Catalog of Microfilm Copies of the Schedules. Washington, D.C.: National Archives Trust Fund Board, 1979. This catalog is arranged chronologically, thereunder by state or territory, and then by county. Given for each microfilm publication is the series number and the total number of microfilm rolls in the enumeration. The catalog further identifies each microfilm roll by number and contents.

———. 1900 Federal Population Census: A Catalog of Microfilm Copies of the Schedules. Washington, D.C., 1978. This catalog lists the 1,854 rolls of microfilm on which the 1900 population census schedules appear. The census schedules are arranged by state or territory and then by county. Numbers for the 7,846 rolls of 1900 Soundex appear in the second half of the book.

——. The 1910 Federal Population Census: A Catalog of Microfilm Copies of the Schedules. Washington, D.C., 1982. This catalog lists the 1,784 rolls of microfilm on which the 1910 population census schedules appear. The census schedules are arranged by state or territory and then by county. Numbers for the 4,642 rolls of 1910 Soundex/Miracode appear in the second half of the catalog.

———. The 1920 Federal Population Census: Catalog of National Archives Microfilm. Washington, D.C., 1991. This catalog lists the 8,585 rolls of 1920 Soundex in the front portion of the book. The catalog lists 2,076 rolls of 1920 census schedules arranged by state or territory and then by county.

Nelson, Ken. 1890 Census Index Register. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1984.

Norton, James S. New Jersey in 1793. Distributed by The Everton Publishers, Box 368, Logan UT 84321.

O

Owen, Lois, and Theodore R. Nelson, comps. New York City 1915 State Census Street Address Index. Edited by Raymond G. Matthews. Vol. 2, Brooklyn. Salt Lake City: Family History Library, 1993.

P

Parker, J. Carlyle. City, County, Town and Township Index to the 1850 Census Schedules. Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1979. Designed to identify cities, counties, towns, and townships in every state as they were in 1850, this alphabetically arranged list matches localities with appropriate census microfilm numbers. Its usefulness is not limited to the 1850 census because it can be used as a gazetteer to locate places that no longer exist and places that have been lost due to boundary changes.

Petty, Gerald M. “Virginia 1820 Federal Census: Names Not on the Microfilm Copy.” Virginia Genealogist vol. 18 (1974): 136–39.

S

Schedules of the Colorado State Census of 1885. National Archives Microfilm Publication M-158, 8 rolls.

Schedules of the Florida State Census of 1885. National Archives Microfilm Publication M-845, 13 rolls.

Schedules of the Nebraska State Census of 1885. National Archives Microfilm Publication M-352, 56 rolls.

Schedules of the New Mexico Territory Census of 1885. National Archives Microfilm Publication M-846, 6 rolls.

The schedules of the 1885 Dakota Territory census are divided, the appropriate portions being held by the state historical societies of North and South Dakota. In addition to the federally supported 1885 state censuses, other states took censuses without federal support (see the sources listed earlier).

Schlesinger, Keith R. “An 'Urban Finding Aid' for the Federal Census.” Prologue vol. 13, no. 4 (Winter 1981): 251–62.

———, and Peggy Tuck Sinko. “Urban Finding Aid for Manuscript Census Searches.” National Genealogical Society Quarterly vol. 69, no. 3 (September 1981): 171–80.

Shepard, JoAnne (Bureau of the Census). Age Search Information. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1990.

Sistler, Byron, and Barbara Sistler. Index to Early East Tennessee Tax Lists. Nashville: Byron Sistler and Associates, 1977.

Stephenson, Charles. “The Methodology of Historical Census Record Linkage: A User's Guide to the Soundex.” Journal of Family History vol. 5, no. 1 (Spring 1980): 112–15. Reprinted in Prologue 12, no. 2 (Fall 1980): 151–53.

Steuart, Bradley W. The Soundex Reference Guide: Soundex Codes to Over 125,000 Surnames. Bountiful, Utah: Precision Indexing, 1990.

Straney, Shirley Garton. “1800 Census, Cumberland County; A Contribution.” Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey vol. 60, no. 1 (January 1985): 27–34.

Street Indexes to the 39 Largest Cities in the 1910 Census. National Archives Microfiche Publication M-1283.

Stryker-Rodda, Kenn. Revolutionary Census of New Jersey: An Index, Based on Ratables of the Inhabitants During the Period of the American Revolution. New Orleans: Polyanthos, 1972.

Swenson, Helen Smothers. Index to 1890 Census of the United States. Round Rock, Tex.: the author, 1981.

Szucs, Loretto Dennis, and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking. The Archives: A Guide to the National Archives Field Branches. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1988.

T

Thorndale, William. “Census Indexes and Spelling Variants.” APG [Association of Professional Genealogists] Newsletter 4, no. 5 (May 1982): 6–9. Reprinted in Arlene Eakle and Johni Cerny, eds. The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1984, pp. 17–20.

———, and William Dollarhide. Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790–1920. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1987.

Thurber, Evangeline. “The 1890 Census Records of the Veterans of the Union Army.” National Genealogical Society Quarterly vol. 34 (March 1946): 7–9.

U

U.S. Bureau of the Census. 200 Years of U.S. Census Taking: Population and Housing Questions, 1790–1990. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1989. Earlier editions had different titles: Population and Housing Inquiries in U.S. Decennial Censuses, 1790–1970 (1973) and Twenty Censuses: Population and Housing Questions, 1790–1980 (1979).

U.S. Census Office. Eighth Census, 1860. Eighth Census, United States—1860. Act of Congress of Twenty-third May, 1850. Instructions to U.S. Marshals. Instructions to Assistants. Washington, D.C.: G. W. Bowman, 1860. Enumerator's instructions for the 1860 census (omitted from Wright and 200 Years of U.S. Census Taking).

U. S. Congress. Senate. The History and Growth of the United States Census. Prepared for the Senate Committee on the Census by Carroll D. Wright. S. doc. 194, 56 cong., I sess., serial 385b. Reprint, 1967. In the appendixes are reproduced the schedules of inquiry of each of the decennial censuses from 1790 to 1890 and the instructions for the taking of each of the decennial censuses from 1820 to 1890.

U.S. Library of Congress. Census Library Project. State Censuses: An Annotated Bibliography of Censuses of Population Taken After the Year 1790 by States and Territories of the United States. Prepared by Henry J. Dubester. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1948.

———. Index to the Eleventh Census of the United States, 1890. National Archives Microfilm Publication M-496, 2 rolls.

———. Special Schedules of the Eleventh Census (1890) Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War. National Archives Microfilm Publication M-123, 118 rolls. The schedules for the states alphabetically from Alabama through Kansas and part of Kentucky were destroyed before the veterans schedules were acquired by the National Archives in 1943. Only the schedules for the states in the latter part of the alphabet are thus available for use. In recent years, state-by-state indexes for the veterans schedules have become available. They must, of course, be used with the same caution as any census indexes.

U.S. National Archives. Federal Population Censuses, 1790–1890. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, various dates.

———. 1900 Federal Population Census. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1978.

———. 1910 Federal Population Census. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1982.

———. 1920 Federal Population Census. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1991.

V

Vallentine, John F. “Effective Use of Census Indexes in Locating People.” Genealogical Journal vol. 4, no. 2 (June 1975): 51–58.

———. “State and Territories Census Records in the United States.” Genealogical Journal vol. 2, no. 4 (December 1973): 133–39.

Volkel, Lowell M. Illinois Mortality Schedule 1850. 3 vols. Indianapolis: Heritage House, 1972.

———. Illinois Mortality Schedule 1860. 5 vols. Indianapolis: Heritage House, 1979.

———. Illinois Mortality Schedule 1870. 2 vols. Indianapolis: Heritage House, 1985.

W

Warren, James W. Minnesota 1900 Census Mortality Schedules. St. Paul, Minn.: Warren Research and Marketing, 1991–92.

Warren, Mary Bondurant. “Census Enumerations: How Were They Taken? Do Local Copies Exist?” Family Puzzlers no. 475 (November 1976): 1–16.

Wright, Carroll D. The History and Growth of the United States Census. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1900; reprint, New York: Johnson Reprint, 1966. A basic source for background and details of the census-taking process, 1790 to 1890. There is nothing as detailed for later censuses.

External Links

Reconstructed 1790 Census Schedules

 

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Census schedules are extant for only two-thirds of the thirteen states originally covered in the 1790 census. Concerned genealogists have reconstructed substitute schedules for the missing states using tax lists and following the pattern set by the Bureau of the Census in Bureau of the Census Records of State Enumerations, 1782–1785.[1] These substitutes for 1790 schedules include the following.

Contents

Delaware

deValinger, Leon, Jr. Reconstructed Census for Delaware. Washington, D.C.: National Genealogical Society, 1954.

Georgia

Georgia Department of Archives and History. Some Early Tax Digests of Georgia. Atlanta: Department of Archives, 1926. Also available are several volumes of printed land lotteries, 1805 to 1820, available in most research libraries, and a pamphlet that describes the state’s head-right (land bounty for attracting new settlers) and lottery system, including eligibility qualifications. This pamphlet is available upon request from the Georgia Department of Archives and History. Lotteries include precise qualifications for land ownership for each person drawing land in specific counties created as a result of the land awards. The attached shows which years applied to which counties for lotteries.

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From the Rev. Silas Emmett Lucas Jr., The Creation of Georgia Counties, 1777–1932; a separately published map, copyright 1982. Used with permission.

Kentucky

Heinemann, Charles B. “First Census” of Kentucky, 1790. 1940; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1971.

New Jersey

Norton, James S. New Jersey in 1793. Distributed by The Everton Publishers, Box 368, Logan UT 84321. Based on military census lists and ratables.

Stryker-Rodda, Kenn. Revolutionary Census of New Jersey: An Index, Based on Ratables of the Inhabitants During the Period of the American Revolution. New Orleans: Polyanthos, 1972.

The Library of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Washington, D.C., has twenty-four microfilm rolls of New Jersey tax lists for 1783 which can also substitute for 1790 data.

Tennessee

Creekmore, Pollyanna. Early East Tennessee Tax-Payers. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1980. Originally printed in East Tennessee Historical Society Publications beginning in 1951.

Sistler, Byron, and Barbara Sistler. Index to Early East Tennessee Tax Lists. Nashville: Byron Sistler and Associates, 1977.

Virginia

Bureau of the Census Records of State Enumerations, 1782–1785. 1908; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1970.

Fothergill, Augusta B., and John M. Naugle. Virginia Tax Payer 1782–1787. Other Than Those Published in the United States Census Bureau. 1940; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1971.

Schreiner-Yantis, Nettie, and Virgina Love. The 1787 Census of Virginia. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1987.

Other Reconstructions

Because substitutes for the 1790 census have been so useful, numerous reconstructions of other missing schedules are also under way. Tax lists, oaths of allegiance, land entities, militia lists, petitions, road records, and other sources, though never as complete as censuses, can go far toward filling the gaps left by lost or destroyed census schedules. This article is a checklist of census substitutes.

In order to use substitutes effectively, it is important to know what specific categories of people are included in each source and which ones were left out. Many potential census substitutes are described in detail in various chapters of this book, and some of these substitutes can be found printed with indexes. Still other sources have been stored, and sometimes forgotten, in various state archives, courthouses, and historical agencies.

References

  1. Bureau of the Census, Bureau of the Census Records of State Enumerations, 1782–1785 (1908; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1970).

Census Substitutes

 

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This article originally appeared in "Census Records" by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Matthew Wright in The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy

In the absence of official census records, genealogists and historians have shown ingenuity in filling the resulting gaps. An interesting 1776 census was compiled from oaths of allegiance ordered by the colonial government of Maryland. Several of the lists are arranged in family units, with ages given for each person. The pattern was later used for U.S. federal schedules. In 1778, a second census tallied those who opposed the American Revolution. Included on this second list are Quakers, Mennonites, and others who refused to take oaths, as well as some remaining Tories. Tax lists and city directories also make useful substitutes for missing censuses.

Contents

School Censuses

Traditionally, school censuses have been taken to ensure that local facilities and teachers are adequate, and to plan for future appropriations. These schedules count the children of school age. Some lists are in family units with parents’ names included. Some only list children and their ages. School districts or archives of the institutions that created the records are the most likely to have these types of records.

Constable’s or Sheriff’s Census

The constable’s or sheriff’s census (also called a police census) actually had little to do with law enforcement, but the local constable, often under the eye of the sheriff, was the official most often used to assemble data required for administrative decisions. For example, from 1769 to 1770, the governor of Connecticut required an enumeration of “how many parsons partayn to ech family, and how many boshels of wheat, and of Indian corne, ech famyly hath.”

Another sheriff’s census was taken by the Committee of Safety and Relief, 16 April 1814, to account for settlers on the Niagara Frontier (western New York) who were “victimized during the War of 1812.” Money was raised in Albany by voluntary donation to provide aid for these settlers.

Pennsylvania’s tax assessors took septennial (every seven years) censuses from 1763 to 1807, listing taxable inhabitants by township. Occasionally, the list covered males age sixteen to forty-five only, thus making a militia census. Tax assessors were exempt along with teachers, physicians, provincial and state government leaders, militia captains, and others. Their names were not included on the same lists. Exempt status was set by law.

Church/Civil Censuses

In areas where a church was established and supported by the civil government, enumerating the population was often the responsibility of church officials. The most common examples come from New England, but others can be found among church wardens’ records in Virginia and South Carolina.

As a more modern example, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints enumerated its members in Pottawatomie, Iowa, as part of the Iowa state census ordered in 1847 for all residents. These church schedules contain the standard information asked for in the Iowa tally, but also include wagons, guns, and the number of family members ill, aged, or infirm, and oxen, cattle, and horses. These data suggest a dual function for the census to comply with the Iowa law and to prepare for transporting a large body of people westward, a project even then under way. Emigrating companies were enumerated in tens and hundreds before they embarked, the organization under which they traveled to Utah.

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“Typescript of A Journal of the Emigration Company of Council Point, Pottawatomie Co., Iowa,” June 1852, p. 29; GS A979,2/H2be.

Other censuses were taken in Utah in 1852 and 1856. These tallies are valuable because many people did not survive the trek across the Great Plains and the Rockies; comparing the two censuses helps clarify mortality figures. Many of the companies that Brigham Young sent to colonize the Mormon Corridor before 1872 (Rocky Mountain valleys stretching from Mexico to Canada and from Las Vegas to San Bernardino, California) made summaries of individuals, professions, states of health, wagons, cattle, and weapons. Many of these schedules are among the collections of the LDS Church Historical Department.[1] More widely known are the twentieth-century census cards (1914 to 1960), which enumerate all LDS families in organized wards. They are available for research on microfilm at the Genealogical Society of Utah.

Settlers Census

Still another example is the Holland Land Company Census of 1806. The Holland Land Company had great difficulty getting payments from settlers on their lands in central and western New York. Its census assessed the resources of these settlers and, hence, their ability to pay. The 1806 data is especially valuable, as many of these people moved on before the 1810 federal census. For some, it is the only record of their stop in New York City.

References

  1. LDS Church Historical Department, 50 North West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150.

State and Local Censuses

 

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This article originally appeared in "Census Records" by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Matthew Wright in The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy

Population counts taken by state and local governments, though generally more difficult to find than the federal decennial censuses, can be very useful in family history research. In some cases, state and local census details will supplement information found in the federal counts; in others they may provide the only census information available for a given family or individual.

Contents

State Censuses

State censuses were often taken in years between the federal censuses. In some places, local censuses were designed to collect specific data, such as the financial strengths and needs of communities; tallies of school-age children and potential school populations to predict needs for teachers and facilities; censuses of military strength, cavalry horse resources, and grain storage; enumeration for revenue assessment and urban planning; and lists to monitor African Americans moving into northern cities.

As noted by Ann S. Lainhart in her comprehensive study State Census Records, tallies taken at the state level take on special importance for researchers attempting to fill in gaps left by missing censuses.[1] For example, state and territorial censuses taken in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, and Wisconsin between 1885 and 1895 can partially compensate for the missing 1890 federal census schedules.

Additionally, some remarkably detailed state censuses are available for recent years. The Florida State Archives, for example, has 1935 and 1945 state enumerations. Like most other state schedules, the Florida state manuscripts are not indexed; they are arranged alphabetically by county and then geographically by election precincts. As with research in most state censuses, users must obtain election precinct numbers to expedite a search.

Probably no other state enumeration surpasses the 1925 Iowa state census in terms of genealogical value. In that year, Iowa asked for the names of all its residents and their relationship to the head of that household; the place of their abode (including house number and street in cities and towns); their sex, color or race, age at last birthday, place of birth, and marital status. It also asked if they were foreign born, the year they were naturalized, the number of years they had been in the United States, and the number of years they had been in Iowa; their level of education; the names of their parents (including mother’s maiden name), as well as the places of their birth; their parents’ age, if living; and place of marriage of parents. There were nine specific questions relating to military service; nine questions regarding occupation; one about church affiliation; and six questions related to real estate, including the amount for which each listed property owner’s house was insured.

A useful indication of what the Family History Library has on state and other censuses is “U.S. State and Special Census Register: A Listing of Family History Library Microfilm Numbers.” It is an inventory, arranged by state and census year, describing the contents of each census and providing microfilm numbers for most known existing state censuses. The unpublished listing, compiled by G. Eileen Buckway and Fred Adams, was revised in 1992 and is available in the reference area of the Family History Library.[2]

Below is a summary of state census schedules for the years 1623 to 1950 that includes the date, comments on them, and their current locations. (The notation “Ltd.” following the census year indicates that only a partial census of the state was completed or is available. A census date is only included for censuses where at least the name of the head of the household is listed. Territory censuses are also included where applicable. Special thanks to Ann S. Lainhart for her assistance in preparing this summary.) The vast wealth of data available in these local enumerations can take several forms.

Local Censuses

Local population schedules usually resemble those of corresponding federal enumerations, but those taken in New York and Boston during the colonial period included details later incorporated in federal censuses. Beginning as early as 1703, some cities required that a census be taken of their population. Although these city and town censuses are not as numerous as the federal population schedules, some may be worth the time it takes to find them.

Importance of Local Censuses

Local censuses can be useful in discovering the names of children who are listed in pre-1850 census schedules by age groupings only. Similarly, these censuses may be used to determine the number living in a household and compared with birth and death records. They may also verify specific residences of individuals who moved too rapidly to be recorded in other sources; and they may identify neighbors and other community members whose records can provide additional clues for tracing families and individuals back in time. Comparing local census schedules with tax records and other property sources is often one of the best ways to distinguish individuals of the same or similar names.

State Census Schedules, 1623-1950

Alabama

1818 Ltd., 1820 Ltd., 1821 Ltd., 1823, 1850, 1855, 1866, 1907 Ltd.

Alaska

1878 Ltd., 1879 Ltd., 1881 Ltd., 1885 Ltd., 1890–95 Ltd., 1904 Ltd., 1905 Ltd., 1906–07 Ltd., 1914 Ltd., 1917 Ltd.

Arizona

1866 Ltd., 1867 Ltd., 1869 Ltd., 1872 Ltd., 1874 Ltd., 1876 Ltd., 1880 Ltd., 1882 Ltd.

Arkansas

1823 Ltd., 1829 Ltd., 1865 Ltd., 1911 Ltd.

California

1788 Ltd., 1790 Ltd., 1796 Ltd., 1797–98 Ltd., 1816 Ltd., 1836 Ltd., 1844 Ltd., 1852

Colorado

1861, 1866 Ltd., 1885

Connecticut

No record of an applicable state census has been found.

Delaware

1782 Ltd.

District of Columbia

1803, 1867, 1878

Florida

1825, 1855 Ltd., 1866 Ltd., 1867 Ltd., 1868 Ltd., 1875 Ltd., 1885, 1895, 1935 Ltd., 1945 Ltd.

Georgia

1798 Ltd., 1800 Ltd., 1810 Ltd., 1827 Ltd., 1834 Ltd., 1838 Ltd., 1845 Ltd., 1852 Ltd., 1853 Ltd., 1859, 1865 Ltd., 1879 Ltd.

Hawaii

1878 Ltd., 1890, 1896 Ltd.

Idaho

No record of an applicable state census has been found.

Illinois

1810 Ltd., 1818 Ltd., 1820 Ltd., 1825 Ltd., 1830 Ltd., 1835 Ltd., 1840 Ltd., 1845 Ltd., 1855 Ltd., 1865 Ltd.

Indiana

1807 Ltd., 1853 Ltd., 1857 Ltd., 1871 Ltd., 1877 Ltd., 1883 Ltd., 1889 Ltd., 1901 Ltd., 1913 Ltd., 1919 Ltd., 1931 Ltd.

Iowa

1836 Ltd., 1838 Ltd., 1844 Ltd., 1846 Ltd., 1847 Ltd., 1849 Ltd., 1851 Ltd., 1852 Ltd., 1854 Ltd., 1856, 1885, 1895,1905, 1915, 1925

Kansas

1855 Ltd., 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, 1905. 1915, 1925

Kentucky

No record of an applicable state census is available.

Louisiana

1853 Ltd., 1858 Ltd.

Maine

1837 Ltd.

Maryland

1776 Ltd., 1778 Ltd.

Massachusetts

1855, 1865

Michigan

1837 Ltd., 1845 Ltd., 1854, 1864, 1874, 1884, 1888 Ltd., 1894, 1904

Minnesota

1849 Ltd., 1853 Ltd., 1855 Ltd., 1857 Ltd., 1865 Ltd., 1875, 1885, 1895, 1905

Mississippi

1801 Ltd., 1805 Ltd., 1808 Ltd., 1810 Ltd., 1816 Ltd., 1818 Ltd., 1820 Ltd., 1822 Ltd., 1823 Ltd., 1824 Ltd., 1825 Ltd., 1830 Ltd., 1833 Ltd., 1837 Ltd., 1840 Ltd., 1841 Ltd., 1845 Ltd., 1850 Ltd., 1853 Ltd., 1860 Ltd., 1866 Ltd.

Missouri

1797 Ltd., 1803 Ltd., 1817 Ltd., 1819 Ltd., 1840 Ltd., 1844 Ltd., 1852 Ltd., 1856 Ltd., 1860 Ltd., 1864 Ltd., 1876 Ltd., 1880 Ltd.

Montana

No record of an applicable state census is available.

Nebraska

1854 Ltd., 1855 Ltd., 1856 Ltd., 1865 Ltd., 1869 Ltd., 1885

Nevada

1862–3 Ltd., 1875

New Hampshire

No record of an applicable state census has been found.

New Jersey

1855 Ltd., 1865 Ltd., 1875 Ltd., 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915

New Mexico

1790 Ltd., 1823 Ltd., 1845 Ltd., 1885 Ltd.

New York

1790 Ltd., 1825 Ltd., 1835, 1845, 1855, 1865, 1875, 1892, 1905, 1915, 1925

North Carolina

1786 Ltd.

North Dakota

1885 Ltd., 1915, 1925

Ohio

No actual state censuses were taken, but there are lists of eligible voters called quadrennial enumerations.

Oklahoma

1890 Ltd., 1907 Ltd.

Oregon

1842 Ltd., 1843 Ltd., 1845 Ltd., 1849 Ltd., 1850 Ltd., 1853 Ltd., 1854 Ltd., 1855 Ltd., 1856 Ltd., 1857 Ltd., 1858 Ltd., 1859 Ltd., 1865 Ltd., 1870 Ltd., 1875, 1885 Ltd., 1895, 1905

Pennsylvania

No record of an applicable state census has been found.

Rhode Island

1774 Ltd., 1777 Ltd., 1782 Ltd., 1865, 1875, 1885, 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935

South Carolina

1825 Ltd., 1839 Ltd., 1869 Ltd., 1875 Ltd.

South Dakota

1885 Ltd., 1895 Ltd., 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935, 1945

Tennessee

1891 Ltd.

Texas

1829–1836

Utah

1852 Index to Bishops Report, 1856 Territorial Census

Vermont

No record of an applicable state census has been found.

Virginia

1782 Ltd., 1783 Ltd., 1784 Ltd., 1785 Ltd., 1786 Ltd.

Washington

1856 Ltd., 1857 Ltd., 1858 Ltd., 1860 Ltd., 1871 Ltd., 1874 Ltd., 1877 Ltd., 1878 Ltd., 1879 Ltd., 1880 Ltd., 1881 Ltd., 1883 Ltd., 1885 Ltd., 1887 Ltd., 1889 Ltd., 1891 Ltd., 1892 Ltd., 1898 Ltd.

West Virginia

No record of an applicable state census has been found.

Wisconsin

1836, 1838 Ltd., 1842, 1846 Ltd., 1847 Ltd., 1855 Ltd., 1865 Ltd., 1875, 1885, 1895, 1905

Wyoming

1875 Ltd., 1878 Ltd.

References

  1. Ann S. Lainhart, State Census Records (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1992).
  2. G. Eileen Buckway and Fred Adams, comps., “U.S. State and Special Census Register: A Listing of Family History Library Microfilm Numbers,” FHL book 973 X2be 1992; CCF 594,855.

Non-Population Schedules and Special Censuses

 

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This article originally appeared in "Census Records" by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Matthew Wright in The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy

In addition to the population schedules, federal, state, and local governments have used the census to gather special information for administrative decisions. These special schedules can be quite useful for family historians.

Contents

1885 Census

An act of 3 March 1879 provided that any state could take an interdecennial census with partial reimbursement by the federal government. Colorado, Florida, Nebraska, and the territories of Dakota and New Mexico returned schedules to the secretary of the interior. The schedules are numbered 1, 2, 3, and 5.

  • Schedule No. 1: Inhabitants—Lists the number of dwellings and families. It also identifies each inhabitant by name, color, sex, age, relationship to head of family, marital status, occupation, place of birth, parents’ place of birth, literacy, and kind of sickness or disability, if any.
  • Schedule No. 2: Agriculture—Gives the name of the farm owner and his tenure, acreage, farm value, expenses, estimated value of farm products, number and kind of livestock, and amount and kind of produce.
  • Schedule No. 3: Products of industry—Lists the name of the owning corporation or i

The schedules are interfiled and arranged alphabetically by state and then by county. Schedules for a number of counties are missing. The National Archives has microfilmed the Colorado (M158, eight rolls) and Nebraska (M352, fifty-six rolls) schedules. The originals are in the National Archives. Individual, name of business or products, amount of capital invested, number of employees, wages and hours, number of months in operation during the year, value of materials used, value of products, and amount and type of power used.

  • Schedule No. 5: Mortality—Lists the name, age, sex, color, marital status, place of birth, parents’ place of birth, and occupation, and gives the cause of death for every person who died within the twelve months immediately preceding 31 May 1885.

Research Tips for the 1885 Census

The 1885 census is useful for locating data about individuals who were living on rapidly growing frontiers: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska, Florida, and North and South Dakota; for locating and documenting newly arrived immigrants from Europe; and for documenting businessmen and farmers—many of them immigrants—who were just getting started in their businesses. The manufacturers schedule (No. 3) for 1885 is the latest one available for research.

Mortality Schedules, 1850–1885

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From Patricia C. Harpole and Mary Nagle, eds. 1850 Mortality Schedule, Minnesota Territorial Census (St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society, 1972), 100.

The 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1885 censuses included inquiries about persons who had died in the twelve months immediately preceding the enumeration. Mortality schedules list deaths from 1 June through 31 May of 1849–50, 1859–60, 1869–70, 1879–80, and 1884–85. They provide nationwide, state-by-state death registers that predate the recording of vital statistics in most states. While deaths are under-reported, the mortality schedules remain an invaluable source of information.

Mortality schedules asked the deceased’s name, sex, age, color (white, black, mulatto), whether widowed, his or her place of birth (state, territory, or country), the month in which the death occurred, his or her profession/occupation/trade, disease or cause of death, and the number of days ill. In 1870, a place for parents’ birthplaces was added. In 1880, the place where a disease was contracted and how long the deceased person was a citizen or resident of the area were included (fractions indicate a period of time less than a year).

Before the National Archives was established in 1934, the federal government offered the manuscripts of the mortality schedules to the respective states. Those schedules not accepted by the states were given to the National Library of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Copies, indexes, and printed schedules are also available in many libraries (see Mortality Schedule Depositories).

The United States Census Mortality Schedule Register is an inventory listing microfilm and book numbers for the mortality schedules and indexes at the Family History Library. An appendix lists where the records are found for twelve states whose schedules are not at the library. Originally compiled by Stephen M. Charter and Floyd E. Hebdon in 1990, the thirty-seven-page guide was revised by Raymond G. Matthews in 1992. The second edition includes twelve pages of introduction to this important material. While the reference is not available in book form outside the reference area of the Family History Library, the library has reproduced it on microfiche that can be borrowed through LDS Family History Centers and a few other libraries.[1]

Frequently overlooked by family historians, mortality schedules comprise a particularly interesting group of records. Over the years, many indexes, both in print and electronic have surfaced. Lowell M. Volkel indexed the Illinois mortality schedules for 1850 in Illinois Mortality Schedule 1850; for 1860 in Illinois Mortality Schedule 1860; and those that survive for 1870 (the 1870 mortality schedules for more than half of the counties in Illinois are missing) in Illinois Mortality Schedule 1870.[2] A more recent compilation is James W. Warren, Minnesota 1900 Census Mortality Schedules.[3] Ancestry.com offers a search of many of the available mortality schedules as part of its subscription service. As technology makes indexing projects more manageable, we can expect more of these genealogically valuable materials to be indexed.

Research Tips for Mortality Schedules

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This table, originally found in The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy, shows where to find mortality schedules for various census years and for each state.

Mortality schedules are useful for tracing and documenting genetic symptoms and diseases, and for verifying and documenting African American, Chinese, and Native American ancestry. By using these schedules to document death dates and family members, it is possible to follow up with focused searches in obituaries, mortuary records, cemeteries, and probate records. They can also provide clues to migration points and supplement information in population schedules.

Veterans Schedules, 1840–1890

Revolutionary War pensioners were recorded on the reverse (verso) of each page of the 1840 population schedules. Since slaves were also recorded on the verso of the schedules, it is easy to miss pensioner names, especially in parts of the United States where few or no slaves were recorded. Also, many elderly veterans or their widows were living in the households of married daughters or grandchildren who had different surnames or who lived in places not yet associated with the family. By government order, the names of these pensioners were also published in a volume called A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services.[4] The names of some men who had received state or Congressional pensions were inadvertently included with the Revolutionary War veterans. The Genealogical Society of Utah indexed the volume in A General Index to a Census of Pensioners . . . 1840.[5] These volumes are available in most research libraries. The attached image is the pensioner’s list for Maine.

The National Archives has the surviving schedules of a special 1890 census of Union veterans and widows of veterans. They are on microfilm M123 (118 rolls). The schedules are those for Washington, D.C., approximately half of Kentucky, and Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Indian territories, and U.S. ships and navy yards. Schedules for other states were destroyed in the 1921 fire that destroyed the 1890 population schedules. The schedules are arranged by state or territory, thereunder by county, and thereunder by minor subdivisions.

Each entry shows the name of a Union veteran of the Civil War; the name of his widow, if appropriate; his rank, company, regiment, or vessel; dates of his enlistment and discharge, and the length of his service in years, months, and days; his post office address; the nature of any disability; and remarks. In some areas, Confederate veterans were mistakenly listed as well.

Unlike the other census records, these schedules are part of the Records of the Veterans Administration (Record Group 15). They are discussed in Evangeline Thurber, “The 1890 Census Records of the Veterans of the Union Army,” National Genealogical Society Quarterly 34 (March 1946): 7–9. Printed indexes are available for some of the 1890 census, and Ancestry.com has indexed all of them as part of its 1890 Census Substitute.

Research Tips for Special Veterans Schedules

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Revolutionary War veterans and military pensioners of Maine, 1840, in A Census for Revolutionary or Military Services (1841; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1954), 1.

Veterans schedules can be used to verify military service and to identify the specific military unit in which a person served. A search of the state where an individual lived in 1890 may yield enough identifying information to follow up in service and pension records at the National Archives; it can often trace Civil War veterans to their places of origin. The 1890 veterans schedules have been indexed for every state for which schedules are extant except Pennsylvania.

Slave Schedules, 1850–1860

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A slave schedule from the 1860 census for Newton County, Georgia, listing the name of the slave owner, number of slaves, and each slave’s age, sex, and color.

Slaves were enumerated separately during the 1850 and 1860 censuses, though, unfortunately, most schedules do not provide personal names. In most cases, individuals were not named but were simply numbered and can be distinguished only by age, sex, and color; the names of owners are recorded. Few of the slave schedules have been indexed. See chapter 14, “African American Research.”

Agriculture Schedules, 1840–1910

Agriculture schedules are little known and rarely used by genealogists. They are scattered among the variety of archives in which they were deposited by the National Archives and Records Service. Most are not indexed, and only a few had been microfilmed until recently, when the National Archives asked that copies be returned for historical research. The schedules for 1890 were destroyed by fire, and those for 1900 and 1910 were destroyed by Congressional order. See the attached chart for the locations of existing schedules.

Research Tips for Agriculture Schedules

Agriculture censuses can be used to fill gaps when land and tax records are missing or incomplete; to distinguish between people with the same names; to document land holdings of ancestors with suitable follow-up in deeds, mortgages, tax rolls, and probate inventories; to verify and document black sharecroppers and white overseers who may not appear in other records; to identify free black men and their property holdings; and to trace migration and economic growth.

Manufacturers Schedules

The first census of manufacturers was taken in 1810. The returns were incomplete, and most of the schedules have been lost, except for the few bound with the population schedules. Surviving 1810 manufacturers schedules are listed in appendix IX of Katherine H. Davidson’s and Charlotte M. Ashby’s Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Bureau of the Census, Preliminary Inventory 161.[6]

The second census of manufacturers, taken in 1820, tabulated the owner’s name, the location of the establishment, the number of employees, the kind and quantity of machinery, capital invested, articles manufactured, annual production, and general remarks on the business and demand for its products. The schedules have been arranged alphabetically by county within each state to make research easier. The originals, deposited in the National Archives (Record Group 29), have been microfilmed with an index on each roll (M279, twenty-seven rolls). The Southeast, New England, Central Plains, and mid-Atlantic regional archives of the National Archives have copies of the series. These indexes have been compiled and printed as Indexes to Manufacturers’ Census of 1820: An Edited Printing of the Original Indexes and Information.[7]

No manufacturers schedule was compiled for the 1830 census. The 1840 schedules included only statistical information. Except for a few aggregate tables, nothing remains of these tallies.

From 1850 to 1870, the manufacturers schedule was called the “industry schedule.” The purpose was to collect information about manufacturing, mining, fishing, and mercantile, commercial, and trading businesses with an annual gross product of $500 or more. For each census year ending on 1 June, the enumerators recorded the name of the company or the owner; the kind of business; the amount of capital invested; and the quantity and value of materials, labor, machinery, and products. Some of the regional archives of the National Archives have microfilm copies of the schedules for the specific states served by the region.

In 1880, the census reverted to the title “manufacturer’s schedule.” Special agents recorded industrial information for certain large industries and in cities of more than 8,000 inhabitants. These schedules are not now extant. However, the regular enumerators did continue to collect information on general industry schedules for twelve industries, and these schedules survive for some states. The manufacturer’s schedules for later years were destroyed by Congressional order. See Summary of Special Census Schedules for the locations of extant schedules.

Social Statistics, 1850–1880

Social statistics schedules compiled from 1850 to 1880 contain three items of specific interest for the genealogist: (1) The schedules list cemetery facilities within city boundaries, including maps with cemeteries marked; the names, addresses, and general description of all cemeteries; procedures for interment; cemeteries no longer functioning; and the reasons for their closing. (2) The schedules also list trade societies, lodges, clubs, and other groups, including their addresses, major branches, names of executive officers, and statistics showing members, meetings, and financial worth. The 1880 schedules were printed by the Government Printing Office, and most government document sections of public and university libraries have them. (3) The schedules list churches, including a brief history, a statement of doctrine and policy, and a statistical summary of membership by county. The schedules for 1850 through 1900 are not listed in Davidson and Ashby, Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Bureau of the Census. Those for 1906, 1916, and 1926 are printed; the originals were destroyed by order of Congress. Church records are especially helpful for researching immigrants, and the census of social statistics is a finding tool to locate the records of a specific group. See Summary of Special Census Schedules for the locations of extant schedules.

Special schedules are valuable because they document the lives of businessmen and merchants who may not appear in land records. If population schedules give manufacturing occupations connected with industry, search the manufacturing schedules for more clues. It is also possible to trace the involvement of an individual in a fraternal club, trade society, or other social group.

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This chart, originally found in The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy, shows what special censuses are available in each state for select years.

References

  1. United States Census Mortality Schedule Register, FHL microfiche 6,101,876.
  2. Lowell M. Volkel, Illinois Mortality Schedule 1850, 3 vols. (Indianapolis: Heritage House, 1972); Illinois Mortality Schedule 1860, 5 vols. (Indianapolis: Heritage House, 1979); Illinois Mortality Schedule 1870, 2 vols. (Indianapolis: Heritage House, 1985).
  3. James W. Warren, Minnesota 1900 Census Mortality Schedules (St. Paul, Minn.: Warren Research and Marketing, 1991–92).
  4. A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services (1841, various years; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1996).
  5. Genealogical Society of Utah, A General Index to a Census of Pensioners . . . 1840 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1965).
  6. Katherine H. Davidson and Charlotte M. Ashby, comps., Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Bureau of the Census, Preliminary Inventory 161 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service, 1964).
  7. Indexes to Manufacturers’ Census of 1820: An Edited Printing of the Original Indexes and Information (Reprint, Knightstown, Ind.: Bookmark, n.d.).