You might say why is it necessary to have a Census – well that is explained in the information that I have included later on in this email. But for genealogical purposes it is a very valuable tool for finding the history of your family. In telling you about our family I have already alluded in other emails about the power that Census data provides – it tells you where a family was living, who was living at that residence and other vital bits of information such as date and place of birth for not only the individuals, but also their parents.
There is one particular Census that I would like for you to look at for today’s article and that is the 1880 Census record for Amboy Township, Fulton County Ohio – where the Tripp Family farm was located. Look at it carefully and see if you can determine one crucial factor in addition to the other data items that I have previously mentioned.
Did you find it? On this Census for you will Notice the following information:Surname Tripp
Given Name Norman N
Race White
Gender Male
Age 60
Estimated birth year abt 1820
Relationship Self (Head)
Marital Status Married
Birthplace New York
Father's birthplace Vermont
Mother's birthplace Connecticut
Surname Tripp
Given Name Julia A
Race White
Gender Female
Age 57
Estimated birth year abt 1823
Relationship Wife
Marital Status Married
Birthplace New York
Father's birthplace Connecticut
Mother's birthplace Connecticut
Surname Tripp
Given Name Rosa
Race White
Gender Female
Age 17
Estimated birth year abt 1863
Relationship Daughter
Marital Status Single
Birthplace Illinois
Father's birthplace Connecticut
Mother's birthplace Connecticut
Surname Tripp
Given Name Robert
Race White
Gender Male
Age 21
Estimated birth year abt 1859
Relationship Something other than a direct relationship
Marital Status Single
Birthplace Canada
Father's birthplace Ireland
Mother's birthplace Ireland
As you notice above there is Norman, his wife Julia Ann, a daughter Rosa, and a hired hand by the name of Robert Savage. But a mystery of monumental proportions is the daughter Rosa. She appeared on the 1870 and 1880 Federal Census with Norman and his wife Julia, but she was not the biological daughter of this couple – who had been married since April 13th, 1848. So what happened between 1860 and 1870 – Norman had served in the Civil War. He enlisted at the age of 43. The entry in the Military History of Ohio for "the War of the Rebellion" states " Tripp, N. N., e. in Amboy twp., May 2, 1864, co. D, 130th O. V. I., assign to hosp. duty, putting up prescriptions and issuing rations for the sick; dis. at Toledo, O., Sept 22, 1864; 2d ensign to rifle co., 1835-1846. The progress of recruiting in 1864 was difficult in Ohio. Drafting was resorted to in May and in September. The enlistment of the State Militia into the Ohio National Guards for one hundred days' service was distinctly a plan of Governor Brough's, and one of his most unpopular acts. By his suggestion a meeting occurred in Washington of the Governors of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin which resulted in the tender to the president of the services of 85,000 men for one hundred days. Ohio leading with 30,000 men, Indiana and Illinois tendered 20,000 each, Iowa 10,000 and Wisconsin 5,000. Those troops were to be mustered into the United States service by regiments, to be clothed, armed, equipped, subsisted, transported and paid as other United Stated volunteer Infantry and to serve in fortifications and wherever their service was required, within or without their state. President Abraham Lincoln accepted the proposition two days after it was made, the order was promulgated in Ohio April 25th and on May 20th 38,000 men were in camp, eager to be sent forward. Considering the discouragement then existing relative to enlistments and the period of the war, this was one of the most patriotic actions taken by the men of the state in defense of the Nation's honor. The 130th left Toledo May 12th, reported at Sandusky, and placed on guard at Johnson's Island; mustered in June 4th, 840 men, Colonel Charles B. Phillips; transferred to Bermuda Hundred via Washington; assigned to Second Brigade, Third Division, Tenth Army Corps. Under fire at Deer Bottom with loss of one man; mustered out at Toledo, September 22d, 797 men, Colonel Phillips commanding.
Other information:
Organized: Johnson's Island, OH on 5/1/64
Mustered Out: 9/22/64 at Toledo, OH
Officers Killed or Mortally Wounded: 0
Officers Died of Disease, Accidents, etc.: 1
Enlisted Men Killed or Mortally Wounded: 0
Enlisted Men Died of Disease, Accidents, etc.: 22
(Source: Fox, Regimental Losses)
From To Brigade Division Corps Army Comment
Jun '64 Aug '64 2 3 10 Army of the James Mustered Out
His military service began two years after Rosa was born and the group that he served with did not go to Illinois, so it would appear that he did not father this daughter while away from home serving in the military. I simply do not know where she came from or where she went after 1880. All of he 1890 Census was destroyed in a fire where they had been stored, I believe in Washington D.C. and by 1900 she had disappeared, no longer being connected to Norman and Julia Tripp. This couple had two other children by their marriage and Norman had a daughter by his first wife who died in 1846 giving birth to their daughter Elvira.
So it was not like Norman and Julia were childless and needed a child to adopt. Rosa simply comes and goes and the mystery persists.
So did you find the interesting factor that I had you look for? On the 1880 census shown above listed Norman as: Tripp, Norman N. -- Race - White, Male, Age 60, Month of birth - May, Head of Household, Married, Occupation - Farmer, Employed, Place of Birth - New York, Place of Birth of the Father of this person - Vermont, Place of Birth of the Mother of this person - Connecticut. The Month of Birth for Norman listed here is different than that on his gravestone and that listed in the Tripp Mission-Book they both list him as being born in June. Below is a picture of his gravestone - Internment at Amboy Township Cemetery Section A, Row 4A with Julia Ann (wife), Cyrus (father), Betsey (Cyrus's wife) and Mary Ann (daughter) Tripp. Inscription reads: 1 JUN 1820 - 16 JUL 1906. This cemetery is located midway between Metamora and Assumption. I kept looking for the Tripp Mission Book (basically a family bible) but was not able to locate it and scan the page mentioned for this article.
This is a very interesting discrepancy, an error that you might assume the census taker might have made -- but in this case Norman WAS the Census Taker and his was the very first entry to be made.Look at the top of the form and see the titling for where the Census had been taken, the date and the name of the enumerator – Norman Tripp. Personally I thought this was very cool.
So Norman N. Tripp not only felt that it was important to provide Census data to the Census Bureau, he wanted to be part of this historical event. Have you considered being a Census Taker so that your great grandchildren can say, boy that was a cool thing for one of my ancestors to do?
Thus, the error was not his, but other family members entering his data in the Tripp Family Mission Book and on his gravestone. It is sad that the one person who wanted family history to be accurate had his own history marred by others near to him in his own family. So, the moral of the story is be very careful entering or providing names and spellings of such, dates and other critical information on your family members, because this could come back to haunt you in the future. You might say that once you enter a name and date in a family bible, obituary or birth certificate application it becomes difficult to correct. Worse yet, once it is etched in granite such as an engraving on a headstone it really becomes darn near impossible to correct and in some cases never happened.
Why heck, I know of someone very closely related to me, like a brother, whose mother celebrated his birthday on the wrong day for years, but I guess that is another story for another day.
The 2010 Census is now underway throughout the United States and its territories. In March, the U.S. Postal Service will deliver questionnaires to every household on their route in time for "Census Day," April 1, 2010.The census is required by Article 1, Section 2 [PDF] of the U.S. Constitution. Since the first census in [ http://www.census.gov/history/www/through_the_decades/overview/1790.html ]1790, conducting an accurate count of the people living in the United States has been the foundation for our nation's representative government.
As you prepare for the arrival of your 2010 Census questionnaire, consider these facts about the history of census-taking in the United States:
· The first census began more than a year after the inauguration of President George Washington. At its conclusion, the U.S. population totaled approximately 3.9 million and the largest cities were New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; and Boston, MA.
· Following the abolition of slavery in 1865, ex-slaves were named in the 1870 census for the first time. Before then, they were simply recorded numerically by age.
· The 1900 census included Hawaii (annexed in 1898) for the first time. Census takers counted approximately 154,001 inhabitants on the islands.
· The 1940 census collected information about the population and its housing. It was also the first decennial census to use advanced statistical sampling techniques. Sampling allowed the addition of a number of demographic questions without unduly increasing the overall burden on respondents and data processing.
· Census 2000 incoroporated a $167 million advertising campaign to reach every person living in the United States. This advertising contributed to a reversal in the decline of response rates experienced since the 1970 census.
Genealogy Tips
National Archives Release of the 1940 Census Records
April 2, 2012
752 days, 10 hours, 44 minutes, 25 seconds
Census information and records can be invaluable tools in genealogical research. Not only do they include basic personal facts for each respondent, but also more detailed information that can help make connections across generations. This page contains a few tips to help amateur genealogists use census records to fill out their family tree.
• Census records are stored at the Census Bureau's National Processing Center in Jeffersonville, IN. Records from the censuses of population and housing are publicly accessible 72 years after each enumeration's "Census Day." Thus, the most recent publicly available census records are from the 1930 census, released April 1, 2002.
• After the 72 years have passed, the Census Bureau transfers census records to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). NARA is responsible for making the records publicly available for viewing or purchase.
• Individuals may request their own records (before they are publicly available) via the Census Bureau's Age Search service. This service provides individual information from censuses that are still protected by the 72-year rule, but only to the named person, his/her heirs, or legal representatives. There is a Congressionally-mandated fee for this service. Individuals interested in requesting a search of their personal census records must complete a form, Application for Search of Census Records.
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints also maintains an archive of microfilm census records. This microfilm can be borrowed or viewed at LDS Family History Centers.• The National Archives also maintains other records that might be useful for genealogists. As with census records, this information is preserved on microfilm.
• Immigration records, mostly from ships' manifests, provide basic demographic information about new arrivals. They are available from 1820 to 1982.
◦ Military records for those who served from the Revolutionary War through 1912. Records from World War I to the present are held at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, MO. Military records can be used to collect some demographic information on veterans. Further, military pension applications often contain rich family histories provided by veterans or their widows.
• Naturalization records can be a valuable genealogical resource, although the quality and quantity of information they provide varies greatly. Before 1906, any court of record could grant U.S. citizenship. Any records from state, county, or local courts prior to 1906, will be found in state archives. Federal court records from that era are kept at the National Archivesregional facility closest to that court.
• After 1906, the courts forwarded copies of naturalization records to the Immigration and Naturalization Service. These records are also kept in the National Archives regional facility closest to the court from which they came.
• Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates ("vital records") have been kept by most states since the turn of the twentieth century. TheNational Center for Health Statistics maintains a list of contact information for each state's vital records office.
No comments:
Post a Comment