Sehrmans

Salmon and Eliza Sherman standing in front of the abandoned logger’s cabin they named “Fort Necessity” photo circa 1887

 

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NOTES FOR 1880 VASHON-MAURY ISLAND FEDERAL CENSUS DATA

 

This file presents information from the 1880 U.S. Census for Vashon-Maury Island which has been transcribed from hand-written Census Enumerator notes.  Images of these original documents can be viewed at locations of the National Archives and Records Administration (www.archives.gov). 

Original Census Enumeration Records may also be viewed through the commercial site Ancestry.com, which provides on-line access to searchable indexed images.  As of January, 2014, the King County Library System, through its Ancestry Library Edition, provides free access to Ancestry.com.  This on-line resource is only viewable at a King County Library building, such as the Vashon Library.

The transcription has tried to stay as true to the original as possible including symbols, numbers or notes.  Difficulty in reading some of the handwriting may have resulted in copying errors.  A “?” has been inserted where the transcriber of these Census Enumeration Records was unable to clearly read what was written and has provided the best interpretation possible.    

The information on this table is listed in the order provided in Census Enumeration Records, which may relate to the geographic order in which it was collected.  A blank cell indicates no information was provided on the Census Enumeration Record.  Where symbols or other marks were entered (e.g., “/” or “+”), the transcription has tried to reproduce this written information as accurately as possible. The meaning of these entries is unexplained in the Records.

Information in the 1880 Census relates to the 12 months from June 1, 1879-May 31, 1880.  The actual days for data collection were June 3-4, 1880.  Washington was considered a territory, not a state, at that time.

The 1880 Vashon-Maury Island Census did not obviously subdivide the Island into separate Census Precincts; however, looking at Census Enumerator images on the site Ancestry.com shows each of the two pages for this Census listed under separate headings.  Page one is identified by Ancestry.com as part of Seattle District number 008 which included the following areas: Duwamish, Mox La Push (Renton, Talbot, Cedar River) and Milton Precincts, Salmon Bay, Green Lake, Lake Union, South Side of Lake Washington and Vashons and Maurys Islands.  The actual image of the original Census Enumerator Record notes the location where the information was gathered as “Vashons Island.” 

Page two of the 1880 VMI Census is listed by Ancestry.com under the heading “Vashon And Maurys Island, Wa-Milton,” mirroring the location written on the actual Census Enumerator Record: “Vashons and Maurys Islands and Milton Precinct.”  Similar to page one, the image indicates the information is for Enumeration District number 8. 

Information for a total of 100 people is provided from both pages of the 1880 Census Enumeration Records. 

Census information is collected by household.  For each household, there is a designated “head,” and other members are identified per their relationship to that “head” (for example, “wife,” or “son”).  There were 26 separate households listed in the 1880 Census.  There are 14 additional individuals listed in the 1880 Census for which no household relationship information was provided. 

 

Notes Related to Information in the Table

  1. All column headings are as provided in Census Enumeration Records with the exception of the following:
    • Column “Coded Household Number” was created by the researchers as a way to note the individual members of each household group.  These household groups are numbered in consecutive order as they were listed on Census Enumeration Records.  For example, household # 1 is headed by Michael Reasean.  The individuals in his household include Annie Reasean, wife, and Frank Reasean, son.  Household # 2 is headed by Matthew Bridges and there are four other members in this household.
    • The 14 individuals for which no household information was provided were not given a household number and are listed as “unknown” in the “Coded Household Number” column.
    • Column “Estimated Birth Year” was calculated based on the year the Census was taken and the information provided concerning age.
  2. Column “Number of Family” provides information directly from the Census Enumeration Records and does not match the numbers in the “Coded Household Number” column.
  3. The only choices available for “Marital Status” were: married, single, or widowed.
  4. The following columns only relate to individuals ten years of age or older:  “Profession, Occupation or Trade,” “Number of Months Unemployed,” “Not Able to Read,” “Not Able to Write.”

April 21, 2014