The first censuses from 1790 to 1840 listed the head of household only by name. Then a number was used to show the number of offspring, family members, or others residing in the household within age brackets and gender, but no names. It’s difficult to work with but can be done. I’m going to use two families to show how to use the census as the framework for your family.
The first family is that of Peter Fogleman from Russell County, Virginia who married first, Rebecca Margaret Yates. I first listed the makeup of Peter’s family in each census listing. Then named the children based on Marriage/Death records, other secondary sources, and the 1850 census that listed all the people in the family because this was the first census to list everyone in the household by name.
1810 – Russell County, Virginia
2m – under 10
1m – 16-25 Peter Fogleman
1f – under 10
1f – 16-25 Rebecca Margaret (Named in mini-bio of daughter, Aliza Ann)
1820 – Russell County, Virginia
2m – under 10
1m – 10-15
1m – 16-25
1m – 26-44 Peter
3f – under 10
1f – 10-15
No wife – Rebecca Margaret had died
1830 – Russell County, Virginia
2m – under 5
1m – 10-14
1m – 40-49 Peter
1f – under 5
1f – 5-10
1f – 10-19
1f – 30-39 (Second wife)
1840 – Russell County, Virginia
1m – under 5
1m – 5-9
2m – 10-14
1m – 50-59 Peter
1f – 10-14
1f – 15-19
1f – 40-49 (Second wife)
1850 – Russell County, Virginia
No husband – Peter had died in 1845
Barbary 63
Henry 26
Lucinda 22
Samuel P. 21
Charles W. 19
David 13
Family Group listing by dates and sources:
Peter Fogleman married Rebecca Margaret Yates
Andrew b. 1804 Named in mini-bio of Aliza Ann
Stephen b. 1807 Named in mini-bio of Aliza Ann
Nancy Martha b. 1810 from marriage record
Elizabeth b. 1813 Named in mini-bio of Aliza Ann and marriage record
Sarah b. 1815 parents on the Death record
Aliza Anne aka Lizzie b. 1816 Marriage & Death record
George b. 1817 from 1850 & 1860 census
Unnamed son b. 1819-died before 1830
Peter Fogleman married Barbara Powers about 1822/3
Rebecca Margaret b. 1823 from death record
Henry b. 1825 living with widowed mother in 1850
Lucinda b. 1827 living with widowed mother in 1850
Samuel Patton b. 1828 living with widowed mother in 1850
Charles Wesley b. 1831 living with widowed mother in 1850
David b. 1837 living with widowed mother in 1850
The second family I will do next month as part two of using pre-1850 censuses.
