Aroostook County, Maine 1840 Federal Census Transcriber's and Proofreader's Notes This Census was transcribed and proofread by C. Gagnon Copyright 2001 by C. Gagnon ========================================================================= Additional information about the names of the Aroostook townships then and now, a note on French names, and an online name index - is available at: http://www.upperstjohn.com/1840/index.htm ========================================================================= Some French names in the 1840 US Census of Aroostook County One of the biggest challenges of using the 1840 US Census to find people in the French-speaking parts of Aroostook is the spelling of the names. Although the 1840 census taker seems to have known more French than the ones who did the 1850 census, since many of the people were not literate, he had to guess at the spelling. Another complication is that the pronunciation of French in northern Aroostook county (as well as in neighboring parts of Québec and New Brunswick) has its own specificities; thus, Siroisis pronounced roughly like Searway, rather than the Parisian French Searwah. So imagine an English-speaker hearing a French name, in the accent not of Paris but of Madawaska, and trying to figure out how to write it. That's what we're seeing in the 1840 census. Needless to say, many of the names are very difficult to recognize. Another thing to keep in mind is that in 1840 there was no single, standardized way to spell many names, so even if people could read and write they may have spelled their name differently from others with the same name. This explains much of the variation and the difference between today's spelling and that used in 1840 (Michaud vs. Micheaux is one example). This is only a guide to deciphering the names. For those names for which I have definite information, I have included the correct spellings of the names in the "Remarks" section on the census transcription pages. This page is meant to be a guide, that is, to suggest possible ways that some common names were spelled; and to suggest possible correct spellings for some of the more common names found in the census to help point you in a direction for further research. Before you assume that the equivalents given here are correct for a specific individual, you should find other evidence for that spelling of his/her name. If you have any other examples, or know specific names in the census, please let me know. Thanks. Please note: This is only a guide. You should always check other sources to confirm the actual spelling of names. Last names 1840 census version ---> "real names" Chambelleau = Chamberland Demo = Dumont Deshon = Deschênes Elbert = Albert Gonyon = Gagnon Johnsrow = Gendreau Loveway = Lavoie Marcure = Mercure Micheaux = Michaud Mijeaux = Michaud Pegot, Pequot = Picard Pelkay, Pelkey, Pelquet = Pelletier Sanfasan = Sansfaçon Sansforsan = Sansfaçon Searway = Sirois Sozier = Saucier Sucier = Saucier or Soucy Tallieux = Thériault Vilet = Violette Willet = Ouellet Yesenton = Yarrington ========================================================================= Aroostook County, Maine townships, cities and villages in the 1840 US Census: what they're called today This is a list of the townships listed in the 1840 US Census of Aroostook County, with the current names of those townships. If you can help me out with information on the current names of any of the other places, or if you have any more specific information or corrections, please let me know at vpg1@cornell.edu! Thanks. Please note that there is not an exact correspondence between the borders of the townships and the areas that the census taker canvassed under the heading of a specific township. Some people who lived in one township show up in another, neighboring one in the census. In addition, some communities that are not currently within the borders of Aroostook County are included, in particular in Madawaska North of the St.John river (now mostly in Madawaska County, New Brunswick), and Township 3, Ranges 6 and 7, which is in Penobscot County. Township listed in 1840 Census --> today's name Amity: Amity Belfast Academy Grant: Ludlow Benedicta, or No. 2, 5th Range: Benedicta Bridgewater Academy Grant: Part of Bridgewater Fort Fairfield or Letter D: Part of Fort Fairfield Framingham Academy Grant: Part of Littleton Hodgdon: Hodgdon Houlton: part of Houlton Letter A,1st Range: Cary Plantation Letter A,2nd Range: Letter A, Range 2 Letter A, 5th Range: Molunkus Letter G: Part of Presque Isle Letter G, 2nd Range: Part of Presque Isle Letters H & J, 1st and 2nd Ranges: Parts of Presque Isle and Caribou Letter K, 2nd Range: Connor Township Linneus: Linneus Madawaska North of the St.John River: Communities along the northern bank of the St.John River upriver from Grand Falls in Madawaska County, New Brunswick, including Edmundston, St.Basile, St. Hilaire, plus communities from Fort Kent westward along the St.John, and along the Fish River in Aroostook County Madawaska South of the St.John River: Communities from Van Buren to about Fort Kent, including Madawaska and Frenchville New Limerick: New Limerick Orient Gore: Orient Plymouth Grant: Part of Fort Fairfield Plymouth & Eaton Grants, 1st Range: Part of Fort Fairfield Smyrna: Smyrna Township Number 1, 2nd Range: Bancroft Township Number 1, 3rd Range: Reed Plantation Township Number 1, 4th Range: Upper Molunkus and North Yarmouth Academy Grant Township Number 1, 5th Range: Township No.1, Range 5 Township Number 2, 2nd Range: Haynesville Township Number 2, 3rd Range: Glenwood Plantation Township Number 2, 5nd Range or Irish Township: Probably Silver Ridge Township Township Number 3, 2nd Range: Forkstown Township Number 3, 5th Range: Sherman Township Number 3, 6th & 7th Ranges: Stacyville, Sherman Station, and Township 3, Range 7, Penobscot County Township Number 4, 5th Range, or Fish's Township: Crystal Township Number 5, 3rd Range: Oakfield Township Number 6, 5th Range: Moro Plantation Townships Number 7 & 9, 5th Range: Township 7, Range 5, Township 9, Range 5 (along Route 11 toward Masardis) Township Number 9 Township Number 10, 5th Range or Masardis: Masardis Township Township Number 11, 1st Range Township Number 11, 5th Range: Ashland Township Number 13, 3rd Range: Washburn Westfield Academy Grant: Westfield Weston: Weston Williams College Grant: part of Houlton