Thought we all could use this. TT ----- Original Message ----- From: Marty Grant <martygrant@coastalnet.com> To: <MELUNGEON-KIN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, October 01, 2000 12:39 AM Subject: Re: [MEL-KIN] FPC > Hi all, "FPC", or "Free Persons of Color" began with the first census > (1790). That year there were six columns of information, Free White Males > age 16 and up, Free White Males under 16, Free White Females (all ages), > "Others", and Slaves. The "Others" would be any free person (male or female, > all ages) whom the census taker thought was something other than "White" > based on his own opinion or definition of what "white" was. > > The same continued with 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830 and 1840 census, only in > these, instead of "Other" they were referred to as "Free Colored". In 1850, > when every persons name, age, etc was taken, there was a "Race" column for > each person, and the only choices (at first) were "W" (White), "B" (Black), > "M" (Mulatto) and "I" (Indian), though Indians were not supposed to be > listed, but often were anyway. Slaves were not listed (except by age (no > names) on a separate schedule). > > The "FPC" folks from before would often be "M" or "B" in 1850 and later > records, though sometimes listed as "W". > > Remember, that the census taker probably never "asked" the family what their > ethnic origin was, he just put it the way he saw it. If they were not > "White", then they went in the other columns, "M" or "B", depending (I > guess) on the darkness of their skin. > > Hope this helps! > > Marty Grant (Marvin Grant Jr) > e-mail: public@martygrant.com > web: http://www.martygrant.com/gen/origins.htm > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <BKAYMEL@aol.com> > > To: <MELUNGEON-KIN-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000 4:32 PM > > Subject: Re: [MEL-KIN] FPC > snip > > Now, I have another question - when did "FPC" first start appearing on > > census records? > > > > > ============================== > Everything you need to Discover, Preserve & Celebrate your heritage! > http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog >