The 1870 Census Mystery

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kate Steere on October 30, 2009 at 12:23pm

I know that in some states, the 1870 census was so bad that there were 2nd enumerations, esp in Philadelphia, also I've noticed that in a lot of cases in 1870, only the initials of the first and middle names were used, not the full names. So, maybe it was a case of just a widespread bad census?

Permalink Reply by Darron Williams on October 30, 2009 at 12:35pm

You probably already know this but check using their middle name's & initials. Many southerners went by their middle names their whole lives.
Many former Confederate's were persecuted after the war & had it very hard for years. They may not have had a homestead of their own but may have moved around alot year to year. Many were probably missed on census records.

Permalink Reply by Dae Powell on October 30, 2009 at 1:07pm

Hi Jeanie,

Yes. My Confederate ancestor was captured and he took the Federal Oath of Allegiance. The CSA put him down as a deserter. I have him in 1850, 1860, 1880 and 1900 in the Federal Censuses. But in the enigmatic 1870 Census, he is not to be found. I am going through state censuses in hopes to locate him in 1875, and possibly 1865. Perhaps this will be an avenue for you?

Happy Dae·
htp://ShoeStringGenealogy.com

Permalink Reply by Jeanie McCully on October 30, 2009 at 5:15pm

Unfortunately, it appears to me that neither Louisiana nor South Carolina had their own state censuses, or at least I can't find them. But that might be helpful for others.

It's just a shame not to find them in the 1870, since that was when most of their children were young. Losing track of a family for 20 years is a big chunk of history, even if you know they didn't go anywhere.

Permalink Reply by Poppy Gladstone on October 31, 2009 at 2:42am

None of my direct S. Ancestors are lost on the 1870 census, but I have one that I have been helping to search for another cousin. Robert Perry Tarpley was in the Civil War, but is lost on the 1870 census, although his wife and children are living with her father (as I remember, in MS or LA). Robert Perry Tarpley died in 1874 in Collin Co.,TX, according to his mother's Bible. His wife was there also, but remarried in a couple of weeks. Hmmm! My theory about the missing Southerners is they might have been part of the migration that went to Brazil. It has been known as the "The biggest political exodus in U. S. history." I have not looked at the video in several years, but as I remember, the president of Brazil wrote the president of the Confederacy and invited them. They could keep their slaves and grow the same crops, mostly cotton and tabacco ... and they went. Some came back in the 1880s and 1890s, but many descendants remain in northern Brazil.

Also, jobs were scarce after the war. The railroads were being built at that time. the families or husbands could have traveled where they could get jobs.

Remember, also, to search for them in every possible spelling.

Permalink Reply by Jeanie McCully on December 9, 2009 at 4:38pm

That is very interesting - I didn't know about it. It doesn't apply to the people in my situation, but it could help others. Thanks for sharing.

Permalink Reply by Russell Jordan on December 4, 2009 at 6:32pm

In many cases due to all the burning done mainly in Southern states. Alot of records were destroyed or a partial exists in a lot of states.

Permalink Reply by Jeanie McCully on December 9, 2009 at 4:34pm

I'm sorry, I don't understand how this could apply to the 1870 US Federal Census.

Permalink Reply by Russell Jordan on December 9, 2009 at 4:50pm

Sorry Jeanie ! I overlooked where you were just refering to Federal census. Errors in many early cenus were made by census takers not covering complete communities or just plain skipping some completely. A number of very rural areas were not always done.