Aroostook County, Maine 1870 Federal Census http://ftp.us-census.org/pub/usgenweb/census/me/aroostook/1870/ ====================================== Transcriber's and Proofreader's Notes ====================================== This Census was transcribed by Shawn Weisser, Proofread by Wanda Foltz, and submitted to the USGenWeb Census Project, http://www.us-census.org/ Copyright 2003 by Shawn Weisser ========================================================================== USGENWEB (US-CENSUS) NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================== What is special about the 1870 Federal Census? The 1870 census is the first census in which parents of foreign birth are indicated. Immigrants who were naturalized and eligible to vote are identified. Indications of a person's color that were intended to be more precise-white (W), black (B), Chinese (C), Indian (I), mulatto (M)-may be helpful in determining individuals' origins. The 1870 census form called for dwelling houses to be numbered in the order of visitation; families numbered in order of visitation; and the name of every person whose place of abode on the first day of June 1870 was with the family. The census further asked the age of each individual at the last birthday. If a child was under one year of age, months of age were to be stated in fractions, such as 1/12. Additionally, the census asked the sex, color, profession, and occupation or trade of every male and female. (Unfortunately, not all census takers had legible handwriting skills and some of the entries are not clear enough for more than an educated guess. If you know what a skill is, please feel free to email me with the information.) There were also columns for disclosure of value of real estate and personal property. The 1870 census asked for the place of birth, specifically in which state or territory of the United States, or in which country if foreign born (including the province if born in Germany). The schedule provided space to indicate whether or not the father and the mother of the individual was foreign born, and if an individual was born or married within the year, the month in which the event occurred was to be entered. The census also asked for those who had attended school within the year; those who could not read; those who could not write; and the deaf and dumb, blind, insane and the "idiotic" to be identified. Finally, the schedules had space to identify any male citizen of the United States of age twenty-one and older, and any male citizen of the United States age twenty-one and older whose right to vote was denied or abridged on grounds other than rebellion or other crime. ========================================================================= Names in the 1870 US Census of Aroostook County, Maine _________________________________________________________________ One challenge of using the 1870 US Census to find literate people to take the Census information and understand the French (French-Canadian) accent. Census takers knew little French, and since many of the residents were illiterate, they guessed at the spelling. In Lyndon, in particular, there were many Anglo-American, French (Franco-American/ French-Canadian), and Irish residents who were neither literate nor well spoken. Names were spelled phonetically according to the census takers' ability. Another thing to keep in mind is that even in the late 19th century 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. At times this was also used as a way to differentiate between family lines. Also, many names were Anglicised (made into English/Anglo counterparts) to assist in assimilation within a community. These reasons may explain some of the variations. _______________________________________________________________ Examples of name changes: Surnames Lebel - Bell Roi - King Levesque - Bishop Cyr - Sear Gudrow - Gaudreau Gagnon - Gormeo Neddo - Nadeau Tardif - Tardy ========================================================================= The census taker of the 1870 US Census of Lyndon Twp., Aroostook County, Maine _________________________________________________________________ Asa Sawtelle Townsend Townsend was born on June 13th, 1815. Information found in many different locations give his place of birth as Sidney in Kennebec Co., Maple Grove in Aroostook Co., and Penobscot in Hancock Co., Maine. His parents were Dodovah and Sabra (possibly a Sawtelle?) Townsend. Before the Civil War, Townsend earned a living as a farmer according to the 1850 Federal Census of Ft Fairfield, ME, and was listed as a widowed retired farmer in the 1880 Census. On December 10th, 1849 Townsend married Nancy C. Haines. Townsend served in the military during the Civil War. His service record states that he enlisted as a Private in Company E, 31st Infantry Regiment Maine on March 11th, 1864 at the age of 44, and was discharged from Company E, 31st Infantry Regiment on August 7th, 1865. The regimental history can be found at the Maine State Archives. Asa Townsend died on May 26, 1900, at the age of age 85 years (1 month and 13 days) and is buried at Riverside Cemetery (Houghton Cemetery) in Fort Fairfield, Maine in lot #786. Source: The Union Army, vol. 1 ========================================================================= Aroostook County, Maine townships changed names occassionally. In the 1870 US Census the township of Lyndon was known by other names on the preceeing Census' and is know known as Caribou. It has been known as Eaton Grant (which only comprised a portion of the current Caribou), Letter H Plantation, Letter H, Range 2, and Lyndon before becoming, and staying, Caribou. =========================================================================