question about the Massachusetts 1865 census
In the 1865 Massachusetts census what is the difference between is a ratable poll ('p'), ratable poll and legal voter ('p1'), or ratable poll and naturalized voter ('pn'). Due to all of the immigration stuff going on, I have not been able to get an answer to this question from the internet. Nor can I find an answer on Family Search, Ancestry, and the new England Genealogical society web site.
This might be the breakthrough I've been looking for.😀
Comentários
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I asked ChatGPT and this is the result. I then went through its response and it is indeed correct.
In the 1865 Massachusetts State Census, the terms ratable poll, ratable poll and legal voter, and ratable poll and naturalized voter relate to taxation and voting rights. Here’s what they mean:
1. Ratable Poll ('p')
A ratable poll refers to an adult male who is subject to a poll tax. A poll tax was a fixed tax levied on eligible men simply for being of voting or working age. In Massachusetts, this typically included men aged 21 and older, regardless of whether they actually voted.
- Who would check column 12?
- Any adult male (21+) who was subject to the poll tax but did not have the right to vote for some reason (e.g., non-citizens, disenfranchised individuals).
- This could include non-naturalized immigrants or others who were taxed but ineligible to vote.
2. Ratable Poll and Legal Voter ('p1')
A ratable poll and legal voter refers to an adult male who was both subject to the poll tax and had the legal right to vote.
- In 1865 Massachusetts, to be a legal voter, a man had to:
- Be at least 21 years old
- Be a U.S. citizen (by birth or naturalization)
- Meet residency requirements in Massachusetts
- Have no legal disqualifications (e.g., certain crimes or mental incompetency)
- Who would check column 13?
- Any native-born citizen who was subject to the poll tax and had the right to vote in elections.
- This would apply to most white men born in the U.S. (since Black men did not gain full voting rights in Massachusetts until the 15th Amendment in 1870).
3. Ratable Poll and Naturalized Voter ('pn')
A ratable poll and naturalized voter was an adult male who was subject to the poll tax and had voting rights after becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen.
- Who would check column 14?
- Any naturalized immigrant male (21+) who had completed the U.S. naturalization process and thus gained the right to vote.
- This would typically include Irish, German, or other European immigrants who had gone through naturalization.
Summary of Who Checks What Column
Category
Column Checked
Who It Includes
Ratable Poll (taxed but not a voter)
Column 12 ('p')
Non-naturalized immigrant men or other non-voting taxed men
Ratable Poll and Legal Voter
Column 13 ('p1')
U.S.-born male citizens who could vote
Ratable Poll and Naturalized Voter
Column 14 ('pn')
Naturalized immigrant men who could vote
This classification reflected both tax obligations and voting rights, showing distinctions between citizens and non-citizens while also recording the voting status of naturalized individuals.
0 - Who would check column 12?
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Santanifa was very in-depth. I liked his information. The short answer is Ratables are lists of heads of household compiled in order to levy a tax. Heads of household were typically males and in some cases widows. It was also a status used to apportion membership in the house elections of eastern states. See the constitution of Massachusetts.
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Good morning Jenny, just wondering if you received an adequate answer to your question, or are you looking for something more?
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