EXPERT GENEALOGY Editor: Jeannette Holland Austin Series: Census Records Subject: 1890 Census Date: January 8, 1999 We really do need the 1890 Census, however, this was burned in 1921. At the time, the census schedules were located in the basement of the Commerce Building in Washington, D. C. Even though the fire was contained, it flooded the area. The damage was not assessed until the following day, and it was noted that the census records soaked in the water overnight outside the protected vault area. The schedules were dried out, re-copied. But it was impossible to restore them. So? They should still be intact, yes? In 1932 Congress authorized certain documents to be destroyed, which included the original 1890 schedules. Then, in 1934, the remaining schedules were destroyed by the Department of Commerce. Some of the mid-western census records are still available. For example, the 1890 Illinois schedules were later found, and again in 1953, when some fragmented schedules were discovered. Family History Centers have microfilmed these fragmented schedules (which consist mostly of mid-western states, and then, not all counties, or enumeration districts are in tact. So, how do we deal with this? The answer is to search around it - 1880 and 1900 census records, as well as detailed research in the county records where ancestors resided, paying particular attention to deed transactions, as well as tax digests. This provides the detective within us "some" satisfaction as to where people were on dates certain. Happily, the 1880 Census - Every-name Index is now complete, and soon to arrive in Family History Centers. The old cendex method which did not include all families - is the pits!! Especially for a census this large. ===================================== BACK ISSUES OF EXPERT GENEALOGY NOW AVAILABLE ON CD ===================================== 1998 newsletters published in Expert Genealogy are now available on cd. Topics of discussion include family history centers, wars, publishing your book, odd sources, field trips, census, immigration, National Archives, land records, county records, Quakers. Organized by category. Windows compatible. Price: $15.00 Postage: $3.50 ORDER FROM - Jeannette H. Austin GENEALOGY BOOKS 175 Thornton Drive Fayetteville, GA 30214 Phone 1-800-899-9524 Local 770-719-1754 Fax 770-719-8699 To Order online -http://www.genealogy-books.com/orderexp.htm ACCEPT VISA, MASTERCARD ===================================== EXPERT GENEALOGY is sponsored by GENEALOGY BOOKS and may be freely re-distributed or published. ===================================== Do you find this list useful? If so, contact your local genealogical or historical society so that their members may benefit from this FREE online newsletter. ===================================== To subscribe to EXPERT GENEALOGY - Email: [email protected], or, go to the homepage (http://www. genealogy-books.com/) and click on "subscribe". ===================================== === ON THE HOMEPAGE === http://www.genealogy-books.com/ 1. Online Bible Records 2. Genealogy Events Calendar (interactive, you may post events such as reunions, workshops, etc.) 3. More than 1200 genealogy books, cds and disks for sale. Will upload or mail. ======================================= == HEL-LO CENTRAL - NOW ONLINE === Can't find a book? Would you like a central listing on the internet? Just go to one place, one time.....no surfing? This is it! Books are listed alphabetically. Hel-lo Central - A Bookfinder for Genealogists. Website== Http://www.genealogy-books.com/locator.htm This is it! Books are listed alphabetically. Site will be kept current daily. Hel-lo Central - A Bookfinder for Genealogists http://www.genealogy-books.com/locator.htm ===================================