US Census - Myth of "The Day" and "Forms, We No Need Steenkin' Forms!"

Missing from this 1800 US Census Form - Year, Date Recorded, State, County
Which Column Went with Which Age Group and Sex

No Federal Requirement Existed Until 1850 to Record Names other than Head of Household
No Federal Form Existed Until 1830

The US Census has been an evolving process, with new methods and questions continually being implemented, and some older ones dying out. Most recently, in the news, asking about citizenship has become objectionable, though it was routine in censuses that have been published. Still, I can understand why, in today's environment, people might get nervous about government poking into that question.

Today's post is about the myth of "Census Day." In the previous post, here, the official census day was listed for each and every census. However, in most cases, the information is taken some time after "Census Day." As noted, in this site about the 1810 US Census. Going here, you can look up particulars about all of the US Censuses, as well as various State ones. Alternately, Google the year of census you are interested in, along with details you want to know, like "1810 census information" or "1800 census information."

More realistically, the first site linked to above states:

"The third (1810) US Census was to be taken over a period of nine months, beginning on August 6, 1810. However, the US government decided to extend that time for an extra month.

"The first family would have been recorded in August 6, 1810 and the last family on June 6, 1811. 

"...

"No matter when the census taker came, he was to record who was in the house as of August 6, 1810. If a child was born after this date they were not to be counted. If a person died before this date, they were not to be counted. It is very probable the census taker just recorded who were in the home the day he arrived."

In the Censuses up until 1830, there was no government-issued form. The census takers had to make up one that satisfied the information they were supposed to gather. Sometimes, the census taker was in the position of asking someone for information when the inquiree had poor or no English skills, and when the census taker was supposed to be finding out information may have been 10 months old. This is why I put the actual date listed on the enumeration form, rather than the official day. If there is no date on the form, I use the official day. That way, I can have both dates at hand easily.

Among other things, you'll find an IMAGINARY 1810 CENSUS FORM from the US National Archives that even includes a block for "MICROFILM SERIES." Indeed, microfilm in 1810! Giving away the game on the National Archives form is the disclaimer at the bottom of the form that states: "The U.S. Government did not furnish uniform printed schedules until 1830. As a result census returns may vary, and sometimes give more information. This schedule reflects the prescribed questions outlined by the 1810 census act." Their disclaimer doesn't note that sometimes much of the info on their form isn't provided and I've rarely seen any forms that provided information not required.

In the form at the top of  this post, from the 1800 Census page, despite all the shortcomings, there was some very useful information. Specifically, I was looking for James Glenn, who appears about 3/4 down the top page (no line numbers back in 1800).

It revealed the following:

• James Glenn
• 2 males under age 10, 1 between ages 26 and 45
• 1 female under age 10, 1 between ages 26 and 45
• Brandywine, Chester, Pennsylvania
• All of these particulars applied to some time between August 4, 1800 (August 4 was "Census Day" in 1800) and Spring of 1801

It did NOT tell me who James's neighbors were, since the data was collected in alphabetical order, but combined with later censuses, it might shed some light to distinguish between this particular James Glenn, and others. That alone makes me suspicious of a "similar" James Glenn in the 1810 Census, since there are several other Glenns listed in that one besides James. Ages of the family members also matched up with other information I had on the family from other sources. Well, if the Census taker was actually using the columns correctly, anyway.

Genealogy detective work is sometimes a matter of taking lots of little pieces and putting them together in the different ways they can either fit - or not...