ACTIVITY
Identify and compare valuable information from a census record
To the right is a photo reduction of the 1870 Census Record of Manatee County, Florida. The boxed in area contains information about William Henry Whitaker, his wife Mary Jane Wyatt, and their children. Selected columns of that information are presented in printed form right below it.
Find the Family Group Record for WIlliam Henry Whitaker that you created in episode four, so that you can use it in this activity.
Read through the printed information on the census record about William Henry Whitaker.
Compare the information on the census record, with the information you wrote on William’s family group record.
1. What do you suppose the real given name of Nannie is?
2. If Emiel was only nine months old on July 23, 1870 (the day the census was taken), about what month and year was he born?
3. The name of child number three on the family group record is spelled "Furman," and on the census record it is spelled "Fernion." Which spelling do you suppose is probably correct? Why?
4. Which family members are listed on the family group record, but do not appear on the census record?
5. What possible reasons can you think of as to why Edward does not appear on the census record?
6. Why do you suppose the names of Flora Winnefred and Grace (children # 10 and #11 on the family group record) do not appear on the census record?
7. What should Mary Jane’s age be listed as on the census record if her birth year on the family group record is correct?
8. What reasons can you give to explain why the compiled record was created after the census record was created?
EPISODE SIX: ACTIVITY SHEET
Inhabitants in Township Thirty Four (34), in the county of Manatee, State of Florida, on the 23 day of July, 1870. |
| The name of every person whose place of abode on the first day of June, 1870, was in this family | Age at last birth-day. If under 1 year, give month in fractions, thus 3/12 | Sex Males (M), Females (F) | Profession, Occupation, or Trade of each person, male or female | Value of Real Estate | Value of Personal Estate | Place of Birth, naming State or Territory of U.S.; or the Country, if of foreign birth |
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| WHITAKER, WIlliam - Mary Jane - Nannie - Louisa - Fernion - Hamlin - Willie - Carrie - Charles - Emiel |
49 35 18 16 14 12 10 6 5 9/12 |
M F F F M M M F M M |
Stock House School School School School School |
600 |
18000 |
Georgia Florida Florida Florida Florida Florida Florida Florida Florida Florida |