Monday, February 19, 2018

Thomas Howard Jr. 1770-1853, census records 1810 to 1850.


Today's post features the 1810 through 1850 census records of Thomas Howard, Jr. The notation "aa" in the chart stands for "aged about".  The birth and death dates for Thomas Howard Sr. and Letty Durham are "traditional". I have yet to see any actual documents regarding them or their lives.












They were living in Knox County in 1810. This Animap image shows the county boundaries at that time.

Knox County is the large county along the lower right side of the state, labeled "Knx".

This 1810 census record shows that Thomas' neighbors are James Arnett, Elizabeth Arnett, Reuben Arnett, William Howard and Stephen Arnett.

I am sure we will see all of these people again as I continue to delve into the early 19th century history of my family.


1810 U.S. census, Knox County, Kentucky, p. 78, line 16, Thomas Howard; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 17 February 2018); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M252, roll 7.  

Transcription 1810 Census

  1. Head of household: Thomas Howard
  2. Free white males under 10: 2; James (2), Henry (<1)
  3. free white males 10-15: 2; Moses (13), William (11)
  4. free white males 16-25: 0;
  5. free white males 26-44: 1; Thomas Howard (40)
  6. free white males over 45: 0;
  7. free white females under 10: 3; Letty (abt 8), Matilda (abt 8), Cynthia (abt 7)
  8. free white females 10-15: 0;
  9. free white females 16-25: 0; 
  10. free white females 26-44: 1; Francis Jackson (31)
  11. All other free persons: 0; 
  12. slaves: 0.
The 1820 census shows they are now in Floyd County. Knox County has been broken up into Knox, Whitely, Clay, Allen and Perry.

The 1820 census record also features Archibald Prater, Thomas Patrick, Moses Howard, Joseph, John and Alexander Montgomery, William Coffee and John B. Lacey. These are all families that intermarry with the Howards' over the generations.



1820 U.S. census population schedule, Floyd County, Kentucky, p. 8, line 11, Thomas Howard; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ : accessed 17 February 2018); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M33, roll 22.



Transcription 1820 Census 

1) Head of Household: Thomas Howard
2) Free white males under 10: 3; Andrew (5), Reuben (8), Henry (abt 10)
3) free white males 10-15: 1; James (12)
4) free white males 16-18: 0;
5) free white males 16-26: 1; William (21)
6) free white males 26-44: 0;
7) free white males over 45: 1; Thomas (abt 50)
8) free white females under 10: 1; Elizabeth (2)
9) free white females under 16: 1; Cynthia (abt 17)
10) free white females 16-26: 0;
11) free white females 26-44: 1; Frances (41)
12) free white females 45 and over: 0;
13) foreigners not naturalized: 0;
14) engaged in agriculture: 3; probably Thomas, William, James
15) engaged in commerce: 0;
16) engaged in manufacture: 0;
17) male slaves under 14: 0;
18) male slaves 14-25: 0;
19) males slaves 26-44: 0;
20) male slaves 45 and over: 0;
21) female slaves under 14: 0;
22) female slaves 14-25: 0;
23) females slaves 26-44: 0;
24) female slaves 45 and over: 0.


In 1830 the family is in Morgan County, which is situated around the center of the eastern right side of Kentucky. You can see that that didn't have to move, the county boundaries changed and a large section of Floyd County became Morgan county.

Thomas Howard's household is the second entry on this census record.




1830 U.S. census, Morgan County, Kentucky, p. 27, line 2, Thomas Howard; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 16 February 2018); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M19, roll 40.  

Transcription 1830 Census


  1. Head of household: Thomas Howard
  2. Free white males under 5: 0;
  3. Free white males 5-9: 0; 
  4. Free white males 10-14: 1; Andrew (15)
  5. Free white males 15-19: 2; Reuben (18), Henry (abt 20)
  6. Free white males 20-29: 1; James (22)
  7. Free white males 30-39: 0;
  8. Free white males 40-49: 0;
  9. Free white males 50-59: 1; Thomas Howard (abt 60)
  10. Free white males 60-69: 0;
  11. Free white males 70-79: 0;
  12. Free white males 80-89: 0;
  13. Free white males 90-99: 0;
  14. Free white males 100 & up: 0; 
  15. Free white females under 5: 0;
  16. Free white females 5-9: 1; Nancy (6)
  17. Free white females 10-14: 1; Elizabeth (12)
  18. Free white females 15-19: 0;
  19. Free white females 20-29: 0; 
  20. Free white females 30-39: 0; 
  21. Free white females 40-49: 1; Frances Jackson (abt 51)
  22. Free white females 50-59: 0;
  23. Free white females 60-69: 0;
  24. Free white females 70-79: 0;
  25. Free white females 80-89: 0;
  26. Free white females 90-99: 0;
  27. Free white females 100 & up: 0;
  28. Household total: 8.


In 1840 the family is still in Morgan County, which has had a bite taken out of it by Breathitt County to the south.

The Thomas Howard family is on line 17, their neighbors include several other Howard families, Phipps, Montgomery, Lemaster and Coffee. In the transcription you will see three question marks. It is likely that these are one of Thomas' adult children, their spouse and their child. I have not identified who this may be at this time. 



1840 U.S. census, Morgan County, Kentucky, p. 47, line 17, Thomas Howard; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 16 February 2018); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M704, roll 120. 


Transcription of 1840 census.

  1. Head of household: Thomas Howard
  2. Free white males under 5: 1; ?
  3. Free white males 5-9: 0; 
  4. Free white males 10-14: 0; 
  5. Free white males 15-19: 0; 
  6. Free white males 20-29: 1; ?
  7. Free white males 30-39: 0;
  8. Free white males 40-49: 0;
  9. Free white males 50-59: 0;
  10. Free white males 60-69: 0;
  11. Free white males 70-79: 1; Thomas Howard (70)
  12. Free white males 80-89: 0;
  13. Free white males 90-99: 0;
  14. Free white males 100 & up: 0; 
  15. Free white females under 5: 0;
  16. Free white females 5-9: 0;
  17. Free white females 10-14: 0;
  18. Free white females 15-19: 0;
  19. Free white females 20-29: 1; ?
  20. Free white females 30-39: 0; 
  21. Free white females 40-49: 0; 
  22. Free white females 50-59: 0;
  23. Free white females 60-69: 1; Frances Jackson (61)
  24. Free white females 70-79: 0;
  25. Free white females 80-89: 0;
  26. Free white females 90-99: 0;
  27. Free white females 100 & up: 0;
  28. Household total: 5; 
  29. Engaged in mining: 0;
  30. Engaged in agriculture: 2; 
  31. Engaged in commerce: 0; 
  32. Engaged in manufacture and trade: 0;
  33. Engaged in navigation of the ocean: 0;
  34. Engaged in navigation of canals, lakes and rivers: 0;
  35. Learned professional engineers: 0;
  36. Persons 20 years and over who cannot read and write: 1.



In 1850 the boundaries of Morgan County are essentially unchanged, although Floyd has more territory to Johnson and Lawrence (east of Morgan).





In 1850 Thomas and Francis have the house to themselves, although his son William is next door, and the family of Hugh Patrick is nearby. They are dwelling and family no. 90, near the bottom of the page. A very interesting feature of this census record is that Thomas says he was born in North Carolina, and Francis in Virginia. Also, he doesn't list any real estate value, indicating he may have turned ownership of the land over to William.


1850 U.S. census, population schedule, Morgan County, Kentucky, p. 14, dwelling 90, family 90, Thomas Howard; digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 16 February 2018); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M432, roll 214.

Transcription 1850 Census

1) Thomas Howard, age 80, male, white (blank), farmer, born North Carolina.
2) Francis Howard, age 71, female, white (blank), born Virginia, person over the age of 20 who cannot read and write.

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