(1790) Corn- Prised an Enumeration of the Inhabitants of the Present States
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INTRODUCTION. United States at the time of the adoption of the Con- The First Census of the United States (1790) corn- stitution. The framers were the statesmen and leaders prised an enumeration of the inhabitants of the present of thought, but those whose names appear upon the states of Connectic schedules of the First Census were in general the plain Maine, Ma citizens who by their conduct in war and peace made New Jersey the Constitution possible and by their intelligence and Rhode Ishmd, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, self-restraint put it into successful operation. and Virginia. The total population of the United States in 1790, A complete set of the schedules for each state, with a exclusive of slaves, as derived from the schedules was summary for the counties, and in many eases for towns, 3,23 1,533. The only names appearing upon the sched- was filed in the State Department, but unfortunately ules, however, were those of heads of families, and as at they are not now complete, the returns for the states that period the families averaged 6 persons, the total of Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, Tennes- number was approximately 540,000, or slightly more see, and Virginia having been destroyed when the than half a million. The number of names which is British burned the Capitol at Washington during the now lacking because of the destruction uf the schedules War of 1812. For several of the states for which is approximately 140,000, thus leaving schedules con- schedules are lacking it is probable that the Director taining about 400,000 names. of the Census could obtain lists which would present The information contained in the published report the names of most of the heads of families at the date of the First Census of the United States, a small vol- of the First Census. At the census of 1790 the state ume of 56 pages, was not uniform for the several states of Virginia was returned with a population of 747,160, and territories. For New England and one or two of leading, by more than 300,000, Pennsylvania, the the other states the population was presented by coun- second state of the Union in point of population at the ties and towns; that of New Jersey appeared partly First Census. The loss of Virginia’s original schedules by counties and towns and partly by counties only; for the First and Second censuses is so unfortunate in other cases the returns were given by counties only. that every endeavor his been made to secure data Thus the complete transcript of the names of heads of that would in some measure fill the vacancy. The families, with accompanying information, presents for only records that could be secured were some manu- the first time detailed information as to the number script lists of state enumerations made in the years of inhabitants-males, females, etc.-for each minor 1782, 1783, 1784, and 1785; also the tax lists of Green- civil division in all those states for which such infor- brier county from 1783 t’o 1786. These documents mation was not originally published. were on file in the State Library and could not be re- In response to repeated requests from patriotic so- moved therefrom. Through the courtesy of the State cieties and persons interested in genealogy, or desir- Librarian and the members of the Library Board, an ous of studying the early history of the United States, act was passed by the legislature allowing the Census Gongress added to the sundry civil appropriation bill Office to withdraw the lists for the purpose of making for the fiscal year 1907 the following paragraph: copies and publishing the names, in lieu of the Federal The Director of the Census is hereby authorized and directed to census returns. The counties for which the names of publish, in a permanent form, by counties and minor civil divi- the heads of families are returned on the state census sions, the names of the heads of families returned at the First Cen- lists are 39 in number, and contained in 1790 a popula- sus of the United States in seventeen hundred and ninety; and .the Director of the Census is authorized, in his discretion, to sell said tion of 370,000; 41 counties with 377,000 population publications, the proceeds thereof to be covered into the Treasury are lacking; this publication covers, therefore, only Df the United States, to be deposited to the credit of miscellaneous about one-half of the state. A copy of the enumera- receipts on account of (‘Proceeds of sales of Government property:” tor’s list for the city of Richmond has been obtained, ~ro~&d, That no expense shall be incurred hereunder additional and the data are presented on page 111. to appropriations for the Cenm Office for printing therefor made tar the fiscal year nineteen hundred and seven; and the Director of The schedules of 1790 form a unique inheritance for ;he Census is hereby directed to report to Congress at its next ses- the Nation, since they represent for each of the states gion the cost incurred hereunder and the price fixed for said pub- concerned a complete list of the heads of families in the kations and the total received therefor. (3) CENSUSOF l[TED STATES. The urgent deficiency bill, approved February 1% ceived their instructions through the governors of 1968, contained the following provision: states. This inference i rengthened by the fact t assachusetts furnished Tha;t the Director of the Census is hereby authorizedand directed in 1790 the state of t,~expend 80 much of the appropriation for printing for the Depart- printed blanks, and also by the fact that the law re- ment of Commerce and Labor allotted by law to the Census Office lating to the Second Census specifically charged the for the fkal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and Secretary of State to superintend the enumeration and eight, aa may be necessary to continue and complete the publics- to communicate directly with the marshals. tion of the names of the heads of families returned at the Fir& Cen- Py the terms of the First Census law nine months sus of the United States, as authorized by the sundry civil appropria- tion act approved June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and fk~. were allowed in which to complete the enumeration. The census taking was supervised by the ruarshals of In accordance with the authority given in the para- the several judicial districts, who employed assistant graphs quoted above, the names returned at the First marshals to act as enumerators. There were 17 mar- Census in the states of Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, shals. The records showing the number of assistant Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North marshals employed in 1790, 1800, and MO were de- Carolina, Pennsylvania, hode Island, South Carolina, stroyed by fire, but the number employed in 1790 has and Vermont have been published, thus completing been estimated at 650. the roster of the heads of families in 1’790 so far as The schedules which these officials prepared consist they can be shown from the records of the Census of lists of names of heads of families; e.ach name ap- CMice. h the Federal census schedules of the state pears in a stub, or fist cohrmn, which is followed by of Virginia for 1799 are missing, the lists of the state five columns, giving details of the family. These col- enumerations made in 1782, 1783, 1784, and 1785, umns are headed as follows: while not complete, have been substituted. Free white males of 16 years and upward, including heads of THE ItTtXtST CENSUS, families. Free white males under 16 years. The First Census act was passed at the second ses- Free white females, including heads of families. sion of the First Congress, and was signed by President All other free persons. Washington on March 1, 1790. The task of making Slaves. the first enumeration of inhabitants was placed upon The assistant marshals made two copies of the re- the President. Under this law the marshals of the turns; in accordance with the law one copy was posted several judicial districts were required to ascertain the in the immediate neighborhood for the information of number of inhabitants within their respective districts, the public, and the other was transmitted to the mar- omitting Indians not taxed, and distinguishing free shal in charge, to be forwarded to the President. persons (including those bound to service for a term of schedules were turned over by the President to years) from all others; the sex and color of free per- Secretary of State. Little or no tabulation was re- sons; and the number of free males 16 years of age and quired, and the report of the First Census, as also the over. reports of the Second, Third, and Fourth, was pro- The object of the inquiry last mentioned was, un- duced without the employment of any clerical force, doubtedly, to obtain def?.nite knowledge as to the mili- the summaries being transmitted directly to the tary and industrial strength of the country. This fact printer. The total population as returned in 1790 possesses special interest, because the Constitution was 3,929,214, and the entire cost of the census was directs merely an enumeration of inhabitants, Thus $44,377. the demand for increasingly extensive information, A summary of the results of the First Census, not in- which has been so marked a characteristic of census cluding the returns for South Carolina, was transmitted legislation, began with the First Congress that dealt to Congress by President Washington on October 27, with the subject.