Heads of Families at the First Census 179Q
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HEADS OF FAMILIES AT THE FIRST CENSUS 179Q INTBODUUTION. The information contained in the published report of the First Census of the United States, a small vol- The l?irst Census of the United States (1790) com- ume of 56 pages, was not uniform for the several states prised an enumeration of the inhabitants of the present and territories, For New England and one or two of states of Connecticut, Delaware; Georgia, Kentucky, the other states the population was presented by coun- Maine, Maryland, Massaclmsetts, New Hampshire, ties and towns; that of New Je.rsey appeared partly New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, by counties and towns and partly by counties only; Rhode Island, Soutll Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, in other cases the returns were given by counties only. and Virginia. Thus the complete transcript of the names of heads of A complete set of.tho schedules for each state, with a families, with accompanying information, presents for summary for the counties, and in many cases for towns, the first time detailed information as to the number was filed in the State Department, but unfortunately of inhabitants-males, females, etc.-for each minor they are not now complete, the returns for the states civil division in all those states for which such infor- of Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, Tennes- mation was not originally published. see, and Virginia having been destroyed when the In response to repeated requests from patriotic so- British burned the Capitol at Washington during the cieties and persons interested in genealogy, or desir- War of 1812. For several of the states for which ous of studying the early history of the United States, schedules are lacking it is probable that the Director Congress added to the sundry civil appropriation bill of the Census could obtain lists which would present for the fiscal year 1907 the following paragraph: the names of most 0 the heads of families at the date of the First Census. In Virginia, state enumerations The Director of the Census is hereby authorized and directed to publish, in a permanent form, by counties and minor civil were made in 1782, 1783, 1784, and 1785, but the lists divisions, the names of the heads of fsmilics returned at the Pirst on file in the Stuta Library include the names for only Census of the United States in seveliteec hundred- and ninety; 39 of the 78 counties into which the state was divided. and the Director of the Census is authorized, in his discretion, to The sched~rles of 1790 form a unique inheritance for sell said publications, the proceeds thereof to be covered into the the Nation, since they represent for each of the states Treasury of the United States, to be deposited to the credit of mis- concerned a complete list ol the heads of families in the cellaneous receipts on account of L’Proceeds bf sales of Government property:” United States at tho time of the adoption of the Con- Provided, That no expense shall be incurred hereunder additional stitution. The! framers wore the statesmen and leaders to appropriations for the Census 05~0 for printing therefor made of thought, but those whose names appear upon the for the fiscal year nineteen hundred and seven; and the Director of schedules of the l?irst Census were in general the plain the Census is hereby directed to report to Congressat il;s next yes- sion the cost incurred hereunder and the price fixed for said pub- citizens who by t!heir conduct in war and peace made lications and the total received therefor. the Constitution possible and by their intelligence and self-restraint put it into successful operation. The amount of money appropriated by Congress for The total population of the United States in 1790, the Census printing for the fiscal year mentioned was exclusive of slaves, as derived ,from the schedules was unfortunately not sufficient to meet the current re- 3,231,533. The only names appearing upon the sohed- quirement of the Office and to publish the transcrip- ules, however, were those of heads of families, and as at tion of the First Census, and no provision was made that period the families averaged 6 persons, the total in the sundry civil appropriation bill for 190s for the number was approximately 540,000, or slightly more continuance of authority to publish these important than half a million. The number of names which is records. Resources, however, were available for print- now lacking because of the destruction of the schedules ing a small section of the work, and the schedules of is approximately 140,000, thus lea+ing schedules con- New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maryland accordingly taining about 400,000 aames. were published. (3) 4 FIRST CENSUS OF THE UNITED STATES. The urgent deficiency bill, approved February 15, ceived their instructions through the governors of the 1908, contained the following provision: states. This inference is strengthened by the fact that Thatthe Directorof the Censueis herebyauthorized anddirected in 1790 the state of Massachusetts furnished the b expend80 much of the appropriationfor 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 l;he fiscal year endingJune thirtieth, nineteenhundred and Secretary of State to superintend the enumeration and eight, a~ may be necessary to continue and completethe publica- to communicate directly with the marshals. tion of the names of the heads of families returned at the Fir& Cen- 81.18of the United States, as authorized by the sundry civil appropria- By the terms of the First Census law nine months tion act approved June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and 6i.x. were allowed in which to complete the enumeration. In accordance with the authority given in the para- The census taking was supervised by the marshals of graph quoted above, the names returned at the First the several judicial districts, who employed assistant Census in the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massa- marshals to act as enumerators. There were 17 mar- chusetts, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, shals. The records showing the number of assistant Rhode Island, and South Carolina have been published, marshals employed in 1790, 1800, and 1810 were de- thus completing the roster of the heads of families in stroyed by fire, but the number employed in 1790 has 1790 so far as they can be shown from the records of been estimated at 650. The schedules which these officials prepared consist the Census Office. As the Federal census schedules of the state of Virginia for 1790 are missing, the lists of of lists of names of heads of families; each name ap- the state enumerations made in 1782, 1783, 1784, and pears in a stub, or f?rst column, which is followed by 1785 have been substituted and, while not complete, five columns, giving details of the family. These col- they will, undoubtedly, prove of great value. umns are headed as follows: Free white males of 16 years and upward, including heads of THl3 FIRST GENSUS. families. Free white malea under 16 years. The First Census act was passed at the second ses- Free white f&&es, 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 socordance 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. The persons (including those bound to service for a term of schedules werG turned over by the President to the 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 definite 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. 1791. The legal period for enumeration, nine months, The method followed by the President in putting had been extended, the longest time consumed being into operation the First Census law, although the ob- eighteen months in South Carolina. The report of ject of extended investigation, is not definitely known. October 27 was printed in full, and published in what is It is supposed that the President or the Secretary of now a very rare little volume; afterwards the report State dispatched copies of the law, and perhaps of in- for South Carolina was “tipped in.” To contain the structions also, to the marshals.