Good morning list, YES! :) I forgot to mention -- my grandfather Edward WEBBER was counted twice in the 1900 Census, once in Caroline Co., MD & once in Chester, Delaware Co., PA. One census record says he was b. in DE & the other says MD. 1900 Census -- 3rd Dist., Denton, Caroline Co., MD WEBBER Arthur J H W M Jul 1850 49 M27 DE DE DE Laborer Mary E W W F Nov 1855 44 M27 5 3 DE DE DE R/H Bertha I D W F Mar 1882 18 S DE DE DE *Edward A S W M Feb 1886 14 S MD DE DE *Note: Edward is listed in the Chester, Dela. Co., PA 1900 Census as a boarder with a Thomas BUCKLEY. Note: They had a daughter Goldie b. 1890 & another daughter b. after 1890 where are they in this census? 1900 Census -- 104 Norris St., Chester Delaware Co., PA BUCKLEY Thomas Jr H W M 1871 28 M IL Ire Ire Ada W W F 1871 28 M MD MD MD (Stayton?) Lillain D W F 1898 1 S PA IL MD John S W M 1900 5/12 S PA IL MD WEBBER *Edward Bd W M 1887 13 S DE DE DE Laborer/Iron Note: *Edward is also listed in the Caroline Co., MD census with his parents. Happy hunting, Helen (DCGS) P.S. Is anyone doing research on BUCKLEY's or knows what Ada's maiden was?

Helen, A person could be included multiple times in a given federal census in different locations for a variety of reasons. This seems like sort of the "flip side" of an individual, or family, getting missed altogether in a census, although I suspect that "getting counted twice" is less common than getting missed altogether. I wonder if the Census Bureau has any statistics on these occurrences. Sometimes, I think that a family would "include" a family member who was away from home, at the time the census taker came around, in the list of information for the family. In some instances, the individual probably really was at the two different places on the days that the census taker came around to the respective locations, as it wouldn't be on exactly the same day. Researchers should be careful in looking at cases where they have found possible multiple listings ... there would seem to be a good possibility of "false positives." In the case of your Edward Webber, for instance, I would look for other supporting evidence (such as stories from your grandfather of his boarding with the Buckley family, or other written evidence of his boarding out). You pointed out that the birthplace information doesn't match, but, of course it isn't unusual for this information to be in error. Likewise, the birthdate information doesn't match, but, again, it's not unusual for such information to be in error. Are the notes included with the listings that reflect the cross listings actually included on the face of the two relevant original census sheets, or were they first written in a later transcription? If the notes are on the original census sheets, can you tell whether they are written in the hands of the two relevant census takers, or perhaps written on the forms by a researcher at a later date? If the notes were added by a researcher, do you have a source for the information? It's pretty neat that you've found this information for your grandfather, which seems to give a much bigger picture of his activities in 1900 than normally would be the case. You're very lucky! Dave Kearney ----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2002 8:21 AM Subject: [DESUSSEX] Can a person be counted twice in a census -- in two different State? Good morning list, YES! :) I forgot to mention -- my grandfather Edward WEBBER was counted twice in the 1900 Census, once in Caroline Co., MD & once in Chester, Delaware Co., PA. One census record says he was b. in DE & the other says MD. 1900 Census -- 3rd Dist., Denton, Caroline Co., MD WEBBER Arthur J H W M Jul 1850 49 M27 DE DE DE Laborer Mary E W W F Nov 1855 44 M27 5 3 DE DE DE R/H Bertha I D W F Mar 1882 18 S DE DE DE *Edward A S W M Feb 1886 14 S MD DE DE *Note: Edward is listed in the Chester, Dela. Co., PA 1900 Census as a boarder with a Thomas BUCKLEY. Note: They had a daughter Goldie b. 1890 & another daughter b. after 1890 where are they in this census? 1900 Census -- 104 Norris St., Chester Delaware Co., PA BUCKLEY Thomas Jr H W M 1871 28 M IL Ire Ire Ada W W F 1871 28 M MD MD MD (Stayton?) Lillain D W F 1898 1 S PA IL MD John S W M 1900 5/12 S PA IL MD WEBBER *Edward Bd W M 1887 13 S DE DE DE Laborer/Iron Note: *Edward is also listed in the Caroline Co., MD census with his parents. Happy hunting, Helen (DCGS) P.S. Is anyone doing research on BUCKLEY's or knows what Ada's maiden was? ______________________________

Just to add to this reply - in some census years the census takers were paid by the number of people they counted. I have seen certain areas of PA where the enumerator appears to have gone done the valley one day, then back up it the next counting people in the same family on both days with only slight variations. A teacher in one of the National Archives courses also used to talk about the census takers who were drunk on duty from having 'just a bit of refreshment' at each place they stopped. It is a wonder that the census is as good as it is!