Happy Signing Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
Yes, signing the Constitution was "cool" on 17 Sep 1787. It also honors all U.S. citizens, whether native-born or naturalized, and promotes understanding of the Constitution's role in American democracy.
Yes, signing the Constitution was "cool" on 17 Sept of that year. But this year has a lot of significance to genealogical researchers. It's also the year that saved the day for reconstructing lost early records, especially, in VA. I often choose to show this process using VA, because the 1790 census are not available.
Ok...I'm sure this is confusing but there was a Virginia "census" (actually a Tax List) in 1787, not a federal or state census. It was actually a compilation of personal property lists from the 1780s, often called the 1787 Census of Virginia by genealogists.
Did you know?
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| familysearch.org |
The 1787 "Virginia Census" isn’t just a headcount, it’s a treasure for genealogists! This is great news since the 1790 Census were destroyed presumably in the War of 1812. The 1787 Virginia Census lists households, taxable property, and enslaved people, offering a snapshot of families between the Revolution and the first U.S. Census of 1790. For researchers, it bridges a critical gap, helping trace ancestors, land ownership, and community ties in early Virginia. Although I'm talking VA here, this technique can be used to reconstruct other lost census records.
- Names/~Ages White Males:
Names of white males over 21 years of age and white males between 16 and 21 years old. - Slave Population:Information on the number of slaves; regardless of age (over or under age of 16).
- Livestock and Carriages:Listings of horses, cattle, and carriages.
- Tavern Keepers:Names of individuals who held tavern licenses
Most women were left out of the 1787 Virginia “census” (tax lists). But widows or unmarried women who headed households could appear! For example, “Widow Johnson” was listed as a taxpayer in Mecklenburg County. These rare entries are golden clues for tracing female ancestors in early Virginia because white females were never considered tithables themselves (i.e., taxed as a tithable person). But if they were head of household (widows or unmarried), or owned taxable property, their names show up as the “person chargeable.”
In some cases Virginia's “Personal Property Tax Lists” (beginning 1782‐) named female heads of households.
Case Study: How to Use these Records
The following is a sample case study to understand what can be uncovered. Let's see if you can duplicate these results, or try it on your own ancestor. And, it doesn't have to be Virginia.
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| Virginia. Court Records |
Happy Signing Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
