CENSUS DATE: IMPORTANT PART OF RESEARCH

     From the first census in 1790 there has existed  what  may  be  called  the
     census date. All questions were to have been answered as of this  date.  To
     begin with, it was the first Monday in August. Then it was moved to June 1,
     then April 15, and finally to January 1. Notice the following chart: Census
     Official Date
		1790				2 Aug
		1800				4 Aug
		1820				6 Aug
		1830 - 1900			7 Aug
		1910				1 June
		1910				15 April
		1920				1 Jan

     To illustrate the importance  of  this,  let’s  assume  that  in  1850  the
     enumerator (census taker) came to a house in mid-August. In the home was  a
     mother caring for a month old baby. The baby could not be  counted  in  the
     census because it had not yet been born on the first of June. On the  other
     hand, suppose that in the household an individual had died a  month  before
     the visit. That person would be listed  in  the  census  as  through  still
     living because on June the first he was

     It is especially important to keep this in mind in looking at censuses 1850
     and later. In these, there is a place at the  top  of  each  page  for  the
     enumerator to enter the date of the visit. Many assume that  the  questions
     were answered as of that visit date, but such was not the  case.  Observing
     the census date can be very helpful  in  resolving  an  otherwise  puzzling
     record.



THE CENSUS TAKER .....

     It was the first day of census and all thru  the  land,  the  pollster  was
     ready ... a black book in hand. He mounted his horse for a long dusty ride;
     his book & some quills were tucked by his side. A long winding road down  a
     road barely there; toward the smell of fresh bread wafting thru the air The
     woman was tired with lines on her face; wisps of brown hair she tucked back
     into place. She gave him some water as they sat at the table; she  answered
     his questions the best she was able. He asked of her children ..  yes,  she
     had quite a few; the oldest was twenty, the youngest barely  not  two.  She
     held up a toddler with cheeks round and red; his sister, she whispered, was
     napping in bed. She noted each person who lived there with pride  and  felt
     the faint stirrings of the wee one inside. He noted the sex, the color, the
     age; the marks from the quill soon filled up the page.  At  the  number  of
     children she nodded her head and saw her lips quiver for the  3  that  were
     dead. The places  of  birth  she  “never  forgot”,  Was  it  Tennessee?  or
     Kentucky? or Missouri? or not? They came  from  England  of  that  she  was
     clear; but she wasn’t quite sure just how long it had been. They  spoke  of
     employment, of schooling and such; they could read some,  and  write  some,
     though not very much.
     When the questions were answered, his job was done; so he mounted his horse
     & rode into the sun We can almost imagine his voice loud  and  clear;  “May
     God bless you all for another 10 years” Now picture a time warp...it’s  now
     you & me; as we search for the people on our family tree. We squint at  the
     census & scroll down so slow; as we search for that entry from  long,  long
     ago. Could they only imagine that long ago day; that the entries they  made
     would effect us today? If they knew, would they wonder at the  yearning  we
     feel; & the searching that makes them so real We can hear if we listen  the
     words they impart; through their blood in our veins & their  voice  in  our
     heart ......................