Got this from Bob Keener on the Lincoln-L list. A warning for all of us who are tempted to rely on census reports. Philip Sheppard Listowner: NCMACON-L, NCTRANSY-L > While working on a difficult problem today for an Internet friend, I found > these entries in the 1850 Ohio census for Marlboro Twp. in Stark County. Back > in those days, census takers were sometimes paid by the number of people they > enumerated which gave them an incentive to "pad" the books. This fellow > appears to have had an attack of greed although, as you will see, he wasn't > terribly inventive. However, pay attention to the changes between the two > set. > > The first two families are on page 431, dwellings 260 and 261. The second > two are on page 438, dwellings 370 and 371. And, no, it's not a case of > accidentally duplication — I checked and the neighbors are not the same. > Sorry, I didn't copy down the reel number since these weren't the people I was > looking for. Enjoy. >Bob Keener > >Geo Goodwin 33 M Plasterer $450 PA >Matilda 30 F PA >Wm. 8 M OH >Franklin 5 M OH >Perry 3 M OH >Matilda Swineheart 12 F PA > >Benjamin Goodwin 79 M Weaver PA >Margaret 67 F PA >Margaret 26 F PA >Benjamin 7 M OH > >Then, seven pages later: > >Geo. Goodwin 34 M Plasterer $400 PA >Matilda 33 F PA >Wm. 16 M OH >Benjamin 5 M OH >Oliver 3 M OH >Matilda Swiheart 12 F OH > >Margaret 62 F PA >Margaret 25 F PA >Benjamin 6 M OH >Benjamin 79 M Weaver PA > > A couple of the names changes are great! Substituting Benjamin for Franklin > (obvious) and Oliver for Perry (Oliver Hazard Perry). Wonder if he got > caught. >Bob Keener