Thanks for this, Nel. Valuable information. There is a question I have always had about a ggg Uncle who was single and living in Mississippi with 48 slaves...1860 census. Living with him were a possible nephew and another man. The other man was listed as the "overseer." So I am wondering now if the uncle might have been the "farm manager," though the census record doesn't actually say that. Seems to make sense since we have never been able to figure out where he would have gotten the money to buy that many slaves. Thanks again for passing this along. Burnis Argo **************Play online games for FREE at Games.com! All of your favorites, no registration required and great graphics – check it out! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1211202682x1200689022/aol?redir= http://www.games.com?ncid=emlcntusgame00000001)
HATCHER website: http://hatcherfamilyassn.com HALL DNA project: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~nhatcher/hall/HDNAtest.htm "If you can't stand the skeletons, stay out of the closet" - Val D Greenwood Burnis, Elizabeth just sent more info that is relevant to this discussion....the instructions to c-takers of the 1830 census. Note particularly the 3rd paragraph. "Sir: The 'act to provide for taking the fifth census or enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States,' copies of which are herewith transmitted, prescribes that this enumeration shall be taken under the direction of the Secretary of State, and according to such instructions as he shall give, pursuant to the act. In obedience to the injunctions therein contained, the following instructions are now transmitted to you . . . "[Enclosure] No. 3" "Interrogatories to be put by the assistants of the mashals [sic], in taking the fifth census or emumeration [sic] of the inhabitants of the United States. "Who was on the first day of June, 1830, the head, (master, mistress, steward, overseer, or other principal person, as the case may be,) of this family? [many questions snipped here] "What number of free which males were there on that day, in this family, ..... What number of slaves and colored persons were there on that day, in this family? ... [snip] "N.B. Th[e] assistants will give notice, if necessary, to the free persons over sixteen years of age, of the obligation to answer these interrogatories by reading to them the sixth section of the act." ---Circular, 15 April 1830, Martin Van Buren, Secretary of State, "To the marshal of the United States for the district of [blank]," S. Exec. [?] Doc. No. 4, 22nd Cong., 1st Sess. (1830). ---------------- Do I assume your uncle was listed as a "farmer"? And did you check the 1850-60 Slave Schedule to see if he was listed? Nel