Census Information
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if they are not indexed. Most of the handwriting is eligible, but you will come across a few very hard to read. Too bad it wasn't a requirement to pass a handwriting test, to become a census taker. Don't get me wrong, some of the handwriting is beautiful and fancy, but hard to decipher. Thank heavens they didn't employ Doctors to record the census information. The census information changed from year to year. The 1900 census ask for the birthday- month and year and age. But on the 1910 it only asks your age. I have found that my great-great grandparents age had changed by more than the 10 years between the 1900-1910 census. Now I have to wonder why ? Did she forget how old she was ? Was she away from home and someone else in the household supplied the information ? Did she lie about her age ? Many did change their ages in order to qualify for certain benefits of that time. If your Ancestors' household was anything like yours today- you can be sure that the Census taker came at the wrong time- maybe during dinner time, changing the baby, or doing laundry, and so on... At my house I will get someone knocking on the door, the phone ringing, and the dog lifting his leg up by the sofa, all at the same time. Mass confusion ! They would rush with their answers just to get rid of them. Some were even fearful of anything having to do with the Government. If you are lucky enough to be able to spend an entire day at your Library or Family History center, searching micro-films, you may find something the first day ! But only if you have done your homework first. If the census is indexed, you can find the enumeration district code, and the sheet number, you could go straight to the right film. If not you may be looking through hundreds of pages, especially if your Ancestor lived in a large city or county. You may even know the exact address, but if it isn't indexed it will still need to be searched. When you do find them it is very exciting, you will suddenly be swinging from the light fixtures ! You will get their ages, address where they lived, occupations, place of birth, year they became naturalized or immigrated. All the members of that household. Remember that each nationality tended to live in their sections, Polish, Irish, Germans...searching the neighborhoods, make note of the surnames. When you do find them, also look for the closest Church, Schools, for that area. People lived in the same areas of their Churches and schools. It will help in the long run if you are also looking for baptismal or birth records, or marriage information. You can get a clue on the year of marriage where the Census asks how long they were married. If you are on the 1900 census and they said 20 years, then you know they were married abt.1880. If looking for a certain street name, make note of the names, such as cluster of streets named after animals, or Presidents, or trees, etc. They would all be found in the same general district. Always make notes, write down where you found it. It is always hard to go back and find it again. There are more Transcribers putting Census information online for free. Check the locality you are searching to see if there is one. Each state has a Gen-Web. And it varies to what information is online. Either way you will get addresses and phone numbers to aid in your search. I have personally purchased the subscription to Ancestry.com, and I am able to search all the census records available for all the states, cities, counties. At my own time, day or night. If you have had a subscription to Ancestry in the past, it is good to know that they have recently provided a free plug-in (Mr Sids) that makes viewing it easier and better. |
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~An offsite great link~ Electronic Spreadsheets to help organize your census data. |
