Help with Specific Ancestor Notation in 1830, 1840 Census
Hello
After a lot of research I've finally found an ancestor in multiple census indexes and have traced the household back to 1840 and even 1830. As you may know up to 1840 the data is rather basic recording only the head of household and hash marks for other members based on age group and gender.
In this record of 1840 Census Lycoming County Pennsylvania below there are two (2) Andrew Snyder households. The 2nd Andrew Snyder is the one I believe to be my ancestor. There is something written after his name. Does anybody more experienced than I have a possible suggestion as to what that could be? Like maybe some sort of abbreviation or shorthand for "2" or "2nd" or "Junior" for example?
Going back to the this record of 1830 Census record for the same location I now see a single Andrew Snyder household for Lycoming County. The hash marks for other members of the 1830 single Andrew Snyder household suggest that household split into 2 households between 1830 and 1840. Which in turn suggests that there was indeed an Andrew Snyder Senior (1830 census) and Andrew Snyder Senior and Junior as separate heads of households (by 1840 census). Would you agree with that?
Finally - Since other members of households are reduced to hash marks prior to 1850 - I guess there are no practical ways to attach these 'hash marks' as source records to non heads of houses individuals that may have been living correct?
thank you
Answers
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There is something written after his name. Does anybody more experienced than I have a possible suggestion as to what that could be? Like maybe some sort of abbreviation or shorthand for "2" or "2nd" or "Junior" for example?
Opinion: Yes. That is Jr.! You appear to have found that he is named after his father listed two lines above!
... Would you agree with that?
Yes I would.
Finally - Since other members of households are reduced to hash marks prior to 1850 - I guess there are no practical ways to attach these 'hash marks' as source records to non heads of houses individuals that may have been living correct?
Subsequent Censuses and further research may allow you to first infer likely conclusions, then later identify the names that the hashmarks stood for. The good thing about the hashmarks is that it does give you relatively good ages - for example from this you can likely assume that Andrew Snyder Jr. is the eldest child - then likely brother David - then two younger brothers and 2 younger sisters. Look to establish the female identities through possible later marriage records. This does not exclude the possibility that there were elder sisters that could have already been married. Further research should be able to 'fill out' the Andrew Snyder Sr. family. Attachment of the record to 'the hasmark' individuals can be done after such identity establishing research is complete - either saving it to your Source Box or duplicate creation of the Source in the individual profile. RecordSeek is a source creation tool that allows for duplicate Source attachment to individuals.
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OK - thanks!
Yes accounting for 10 year shifts - the hash marks line up close to the Andrew Jr household from 1850 (males, females, year ranges). (subsequent census data for household members vary by 2-3 years on each subsequent 10 year census - they were definitely not very specific on birth years back then!)
It was a very painstaking process of eliminating a lot of other Reuben Snyders to find the right one that ultimately lead to his father Andrew Snyder in 1840 - Andrew Snyder (jr). And from there Andrew snyder (senior).
Thanks again
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