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14 December 2007
17 June 1880: Enumerating Sam and Mollie
In the 1880 Fed. Census of Williamson Co., TX (Precinct No. 4) are enumerated my maternal grandmother's maternal grandparents, Samuel Parker Jackson and Mary Frances "Mollie" (Chapman) Jackson. Listed with them is their one year-old daughter (my Great-Grandmother) "Lula L. Jackson" as well as a young girl named Virginia B. Green, an 11 year-old native Texan and an "orphan." I wish I knew who this little girl was and how my ggreat-grandparents came into the responsibility of caring for her. Maybe somewhere in a letter I have is the answer, but it isn't known to me now. No birthplace is given for either of her parents.
"Sam'l" and "Mary F." are listed as 24 and 18, respectively. He's a farmer and she "keeps house." They and Lula are native Texans. Both give their mothers' birthplace as Mississippi, but only Sam states Tennessee as his dad's birthplace. Mollie's dad is not given one, although we know that William M. Chapman was, in fact, a native Tennessean.
"Sam'l" and "Mary F." are listed as 24 and 18, respectively. He's a farmer and she "keeps house." They and Lula are native Texans. Both give their mothers' birthplace as Mississippi, but only Sam states Tennessee as his dad's birthplace. Mollie's dad is not given one, although we know that William M. Chapman was, in fact, a native Tennessean.
21 January 1920: Enumerating My Great-Grandparents Henry and Amilie Petzold
Apparent now in an image of the page on which my Great-Grandparents Henry and Amilie Augusta (RACKOW) PETZOLD were enumerated in the 1920 Fed. Census of Bosque Co., TX (Justice Precinct No. 5) is some significant information I have never noticed before: although the words are crossed out and maybe misspelled, this document indicates that both of Henry's parents were from "Mecklenburg, Germany" and that Amilie and her parents were from "Posen, Germany." This census also ridiculously gives Henry's birthplace as Texas, but that is beside the point; what matters here is the amazingly specific designations of Mecklenburg and Posen. This is independent confirmation of some very important facts.
Henry appears as "Petzolt, O.H." and Amilie as "Emilie." They are renters on a farm and their seven children ---all boys--- live with them: Otto, Fred (instead of Fritz!), Walter, William, Herbert, Theodore (not "Tado" to the census-taker!), and Edwin. Henry and Amilie are listed as 50 and 47, respectively, which is completely off. Amilie declares that she is a "naturalized" citizen, although it simply says "un" where the year of her immigration should be. And, again, because Henry claims to be a native Texan, no marks are made in those same categories where Amilie's are. Everybody in the family can read and write, it says, although we know that probably wasn't so. They did all speak English, though. Bill, Herbert, PaPa, and Sam had all attended school in the past year. Amilie's "native tongue" is given as "Germany" [sic], but that space is blank for Henry, the big fibber. Henry is a "general farmer" working on his "own account," but his eldest boys, Ott and Fritz, are "wage worker" farmers. Neither Amilie nor the younger boys are credited with any occupation.
The moral of the story is to always go back to the original documents (or reproductions) and really give them the once-over twice. Never trust transcriptions if you don't have to. To find such specificity in a census record may not be rare, but it is pretty amazing. Pay attention to what is crossed out and to the context. Great stuff.
Henry appears as "Petzolt, O.H." and Amilie as "Emilie." They are renters on a farm and their seven children ---all boys--- live with them: Otto, Fred (instead of Fritz!), Walter, William, Herbert, Theodore (not "Tado" to the census-taker!), and Edwin. Henry and Amilie are listed as 50 and 47, respectively, which is completely off. Amilie declares that she is a "naturalized" citizen, although it simply says "un" where the year of her immigration should be. And, again, because Henry claims to be a native Texan, no marks are made in those same categories where Amilie's are. Everybody in the family can read and write, it says, although we know that probably wasn't so. They did all speak English, though. Bill, Herbert, PaPa, and Sam had all attended school in the past year. Amilie's "native tongue" is given as "Germany" [sic], but that space is blank for Henry, the big fibber. Henry is a "general farmer" working on his "own account," but his eldest boys, Ott and Fritz, are "wage worker" farmers. Neither Amilie nor the younger boys are credited with any occupation.
The moral of the story is to always go back to the original documents (or reproductions) and really give them the once-over twice. Never trust transcriptions if you don't have to. To find such specificity in a census record may not be rare, but it is pretty amazing. Pay attention to what is crossed out and to the context. Great stuff.
12 December 2007
19 February 1891: Bertie Canon to Lula Louvenia Jackson
Here's another page from my Great-Grandmother Lula Louvenia Jackson's autograph book. The inscription is from her teacher Bertie Canon (or is that Carson?), dated 19 Feb 1891 at Buffalo Gap, Taylor Co., TX.
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