1890 Census Lost? 8 Resources to Recover the Data

1890 Federal Census Records weren't lost, they were Substituted 
Genealogists are forever lamenting the destruction of the full 1890 Federal Census. But, why? There are so many great substitutes.

In case you didn't know, most of the 1890 US Federal Census records were destroyed by water due to a 1891 fire at the Customs Building in 1921. Only 1233 pages or fragments survived. This means of the 62,979,766 people enumerated only 6,160 pieces of data survived

We talk about the uniqueness of the 1890 census here:

Where to Start to Locate Substitutes to These Lost Records?

1.  Fragments. Ancestry and FamilyTree.org also digitized copies of the 1890 United States Federal Census Fragment. 

2.  State or local repositories may have reconstructed the data or have originals of the original 1890 census. Idaho, one of six new states joining the 1890 census for the first along with North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Washington, has reconstructed mc of their 1890 census.

Idaho 1890 Reconstructed Census

3. One Place Studies:  Off The Wall: Making Sense of the U.S.Census (begins at 16:16minute)

One Place Studies are finally catching on in the USA.  They are effective and can be used to recreate the place and people in a location (county, township, state_ for your timeframe (i.e. 1890 in Comanche County). As of today, 21 states have at least one village, town, or county involved. Listen about One Place Studies and get your community of interests involved. Be sure to complete the free register so others know you exist. 

4.  Surviving 1890 Census Records 
First, know that the following 1890 census records survived:
->Alabama - Perry County
->Alaska - Logbook of Frank Lowell
->District of Columbia - Q, S, 13th, 14th, RQ, Corcoran, 15th, SE, and Roggs streets, and Johnson Avenue
->Georgia - Muscogee County (Columbus)
->Illinois - McDonough County: Mound Township
->Minnesota - Wright County: Rockford
->New Jersey - Hudson County: Jersey City
->New York - Westchester County: Eastchester; Suffolk County: Brookhaven Township
->North Carolina - Gaston County: South Point Township, Ricer Bend Township; Cleveland  County: Township No. 2
->Ohio - Hamilton County (Cincinnati); Clinton County: Wayne Township
->South Dakota - Union County: Jefferson Township
->Texas - Ellis County: S.P. no. 6, Mountain Peak, Ovila Precinct; Hood County: Precinct no. 5; Rusk County: Precinct no. 6 and J.P. no. 7; Trinity County: Trinity Town and Precinct no. 2; --Kaufman County: Kaufman.

5.  Census On the Five: (i.e. 1885; 1895)

Many states, like Kansas, Nebraska, Florida, Colorado, or in the territories of New Mexico and Dakota enumerated their citizens on state five-year schedules.

But widen your search.  Eighty-six counties of Kansas aren't listed on this ancestry.com listing, but they are digitized on familysearch.org.

This is where I traced my own NC - TN - KS -OK ancestors.  Here is my 3rd Great-Grandmother Louisa in the home of her daughter Sarah and son-in-law Willis. Ages are slightly off. Louisa was actually born in 1817 according to the original Tennessee family Bible, but again, we don't know who gave the information.  

6.  1890 Veterans Schedule

The 1890 special Census for Civil War Union veterans and widows of veterans are intact. This head of household census was originally an enumeration for Union veterans; but in some enumerations, you may also uncover your Confederate veteran.

It is here that by 1890 Willis had left Kansas and was removed to Hennessey, OK. It is also through these records that I learned the alias used by Willis Cox. It was Willis Mills. His USCT Civil War military records explained the surname change.  

 

7.  1890 Oklahoma Territorial Census

• Logan County
• Oklahoma County
• Cleveland County
• Canadian County
• Kingfisher County
• Payne County
• Beaver County

8. Others.  Don't forget City Directories, Land Records, Court records, marriages, etc that are held at the County Level. 

Happy Holiday Season. 

Kathleen Brandt