What’s So Special about Special Census Schedules?
Sunny McClellan Morton
27694 Parkwood Drive, Euclid OH 44132
440-221-6618 (cell); sunny@sunnymorton.com
What’s So Special about Special Census Schedules?
From 1840-1910, U.S. censuses included fantastic “extras.” See what’s in Veterans, Mortality,
Slave, Indian, Agriculture, Manufacturer and Social Statistics Schedules—and how to find them.
The author of Family Tree Magazine’s pull-out guides to the US censuses and to Special US
Census Schedules takes researchers beyond the population schedules to records that shed light on
specific groups of people. Chances are your U.S. ancestors will show up in at least one of these!
Introduction: In different census years, the government collected data on specific groups of
people instead of (or in addition to) what was captured in the regular population schedules.
For each of the special schedules (Veterans, Mortality, Slave, Indian, Agricultural,
Manufacturer and Social Statistics), attendees will learn:
1. Who is included—and how you can tell from the population schedules if they appear in a
special schedule (where applicable);
2. What each schedule contains and sample images;
3. What years and states survive;
4. Where to find surviving schedules online and offline;
5. How statistics or other data that doesn’t mention your ancestor by name can still be
helpful.
Summary Table: The syllabus will include a summary table of which schedules are extant for at
least some places for each census year and where to find them online (similar to below):
1820
1830
1840
Agricultural
DDD
Manufacture/
Industry
Mortality
Slave
Veterans/
Widows
Indians
1850
AN
1860
AN
1870
AN
AN
AN
AN
1880
AN
AN
AN
AN,
AR,
FS
AN,
FS
AN
AN
AN
AN
AN
AN=available in part or full at Ancestry.com
AR=available in part or full at Archives.com
FS=available in part or full at FamilySearch.org
1890
AN,
FS
AN
What’s So Special about Special Census Schedules?