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The 1840 census was begun on 1 June 1840. The enumeration was
to be completed within nine months but was extended to eighteen
months.
- Name of head of household
- Number of free white males and females in age categories 0
to 5, 5 to 10, 10 to 15, 15 to 20, 20 to 30, 30 to 40, 40 to
50, 50 to 60, 60 to 70, 70 to 80, 80 to 90, 90 to 100, over 100
- Number of slaves and free “colored” persons in
age categories
- Categories for deaf, dumb, and blind persons and aliens
- Town or district
- County of residence
Additionally, the 1840 census, asked for the first time, the ages
of revolutionary war pensioners and the number of individuals engaged
in mining, agriculture, commerce, manufacturing and trade, navigation
of the ocean, navigation of canals, lakes and rivers, learned professions
and engineers; number in school, number in family over age twenty-one
who could not read and write, and the number of insane.
The same research strategies used in the previous census apply to the 1840.
A significant bonus comes from the question regarding revolutionary war pensioners.
A search of revolutionary war sources (see chapter 9, Research in Military
Records) may provide a wealth of genealogical information. A refinement of
the occupation categories makes it possible to pursue other occupational
sources and easier to distinguish individuals of the same name in the ever-growing
population. Reading and writing skills and some indication of the educational
level attained add an interesting and more personal dimension to a family
history. An indication of the “insane” within a household might
point to guardianship or institutional records.
The information above is an excerpt from The Source: A Guidebook
of American Genealogy, edited by Loretto D. Szucs and Sandra H.
Luebking, Chapter 5, “Research in Census Records,” by
Loretto D. Szucs (page 113).
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