PERRY COUNTY, TN 1860 FEDERAL CENSUS http://ftp.us-census.org/pub/usgenweb/census/xtn/perry/1860/ ------------------------------- TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES: ------------------------------- Prepared by Donald Robbins Transcription aid by Betty Hawley Checked by D. K. Robbins Mar 10, 2005 (revised November 18, 2005) Census Sheet's Format ------------------------------- Census Sheet Header Information ------------------------------- Each Census Sheet consists of 40 lines. The Header information contains a place for the Date of entry, Post Office, The County Name (Perry) and the name of the recorder of the information. ------------------------------- Census Sheet Detail information ------------------------------- Column 1 - Dwelling - houses numbered in the order of visitation Column 2 - Families, numbered in the order of visitation Column 3 - The name of every person whose usual place of abode on the first day of June, 1860 was in this family Column 4 - Age Column 5 - Sex Column 6 - Color, White, Black or Mulatto or Indian Column 7 - Profession, Occupation or Trade of each person, male and female, over 15 years of age Column 8 - Value of Real Estate Column 9 - Value of Personal Estate Column 10 - Place of Birth, Naming the State, Territory, or Country Column 11 - Married within the year Column 12 - Attended School within the year Column 13 - Person over 20 who could not read or write Column 14 - Whether deaf & dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper or convict In the interest of getting the information transcribed to an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet, some adjustments were made in the format of the transcription. A new line was created, which contains the Page Number and Line Number of the Microfilm reel (reel Series M653, Roll # 1268) that the information was transcribed from. The Surname is in Caps, along with the date of the census page, the census district, the Post Office, and the information from Column 1 and Column 2. The information from Columns 11, 12, 13 was encoded following the Column 10 information, Place of Birth. The encoding is: M, for married within the year, S, for attending school within the year, and I, for illiterate for a check in Column 13 for persons over 20 who could not read or write. The information from Column 14 is added, as is, to the person's line. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The information from the microfilm for the 1860 Census for Perry County consists of 143 pages. COUNTS There were 980 family units in Perry county. There were 980 Housing Units in Perry County. There were 5494 free individuals in Perry County. Number of White Males 2961 Number of White Females 2877 Number of Black Males 2 Number of Black Females 5 Number of Students 1175 Number of Illiterates 868 PLACES OF BIRTH Tennessee 4734 North Carolina 263 South Carolina 126 Kentucky 101 Virginia 78 Georgia 39 Germany 39 England 21 France 19 Alabama 15 Ohio 11 Dutch 7 Ireland 6 Pennsylvania 4 Mississippi 4 Maryland 1 New York 1 Missouri 1 Unknown 4 ------------------------------- OCCUPATIONS ------------------------------- Alphabetically Black Smith 18 Boarding House Keeper 1 Book Binder 1 clerk 7 Cabinent Maker 1 Carpenter 15 Colier 3 Cooper 2 Day Laborer 8 Engineer 1 Farm Laborer 33 Farmer 665 Farry 1 Grocer 2 idiot 2 idiotic 3 insane 2 Inn Keeper 1 Iron Master 1 Laborer 128 M. D. 11 M.D. 1 Mason 1 Merchant 16 Miller 5 Preacher 3 Saddler 3 Sheriff 2 Shoe Maker 7 Spinster 3 Stone Mason 2 twin 14 Tailor 1 Tanner 6 Taylor 1 Teacher 4 Waggon Maker 2 Washerwoman 2 ------------------------------- VOCATIONS ------------------------------- by frequency Farmer 665 Laborer 128 Farm Laborer 33 Black Smith 18 Merchant 16 Carpenter 15 M. D. 12 Day Laborer 8 clerk 7 Shoe Maker 7 Tanner 6 Miller 5 Colier 3 Preacher 3 Teacher 4 Saddler 3 Spinster 3 Cooper 2 Grocer 2 Sheriff 2 Stone Mason 2 Waggon Maker 2 Washerwoman 2 Boarding House Keeper 1 Book Binder 1 Cabinent Maker 1 Engineer 1 Farry 1 Inn Keeper 1 Iron Master 1 Mason 1 Tailor 1 Taylor 1 Other twin 14 Infirmities idiot 2 idiotic 3 insane 2 ------------------------------- Transcribers notes: ------------------------------- F. H. KIMBEL at P141-20 was the enumerator for Perry County. Nancy IVY at P020-13 is listed as 110 years old. The enumerators did not list any vacant residences in Perry County There were no marriages listed for Perry County. Strange. There was quite a foreign grouip, Germans, French, English, Dutch The enumerators didn't spread the illiterates and the school children in a family. Only the totals were used. We did distribute them though, and believe that they are probably distributed as we have shown. If there was only one illiterate in a household, we put it opposite the woman, rather than the man. In the other counties we have done, this was generally the case. We don't mean to be sexists. A dollar is worth twenty at today's rate of exchange. PERRY COUNTY HISTORY Much of this information was obtained from Goodspeed's History of Tennessee and also Tennessee State Gazetteer and Business Directory (1860-1861) by John L. Mitchell. The wording is mine and is protected by copyright . Please feel free to use any information for your own research. However, use of my information for commercial projects is expressly forbidden. Early History Perry County was created by an act of the General Assembly of the state of Tennessee which was passed in November, 1819. This act provided for a new county to be established north of Wayne County, west of Hickman County, and south of Humphreys County. Perry County was named in honor of Oliver Hazard Perry (1785 - 1819 ), a War of 1812 naval officer instrumental in forcing the surrender of the British fleet. This original territory included almost all of what became Decatur County in addition to what is still Perry County today. The Buffalo River flowing from the south end of the county to the north, divides the county in such a way as to leave 1/3 of the area to the east of this river and 2/3's to the west. A number of creeks flow from the western side of the Buffalo River towards the Tennessee River. Beginning at the north these creeks are: Crooked, Roan, Tom, Deer, Lick, Spring, Cypress, Marsh, Cedar, Bee, and White Oak. On the east side of the Buffalo River the creeks beginning from the north are: Lost, Russell, Lagoon, Cane, Brush, Coon, Short, Hurricane, Rockhouse, and Sinking. Early Settlers Tom Creek It is thought that Tom Patterson settled this area before 1818 as his son William was born on Tom Creek in 1818. Rev. William Hodge, Rev. Samuel Atkins, John Stanley, William O. Britt, Enoch Hooper, and John Young all settled on Tom Creek in 1818. In 1820, Ferney Stanley arrived. He taught the first school in the county. Cane Creek Some of the first settlers on Cane Creek were the Whitwells; Thomas, John, Samuel, and James Lomax; Horner Cude; James Salmon; John Anderson; Rev. Joseph Kelley; and Jesse Depriest. Jacob Huffstedler who was born on board ship while enroute from Germany to America in 1775, settled on Cane Creek with his family in 1821. (Note - According to Marlene Bates Johnson, this information concerning Jacob Huffstedler from Goodspeed's is not correct. Please contact her for more information.) Buffalo River About 1824, John Horner, Elbert Matthews, Jerry Holligan, and James Wilkins and their families settled on the Buffalo River near what was to become Beardstown. Isaac W. Stanley , who was surveyor of Perry County, also settled on the Buffalo River. Linden Joseph Tucker came from North Carolina to settle in the area that is now Linden. Lick Creek As early as 1818, James Dixon, James Yates, Wiley Tanner, and John and Jesse Newton settled on Lick Creek. Marsh Creek Some of the first settlers on Marsh Creek were Joseph Brown, William and Nathan Ward, and Nathaniel Dabbs. Cedar Creek About 1818, Samuel Denton, John Tracey, and Jesse Childress settled this area. White Oak Creek The first settlers for this area were Joshua Briley, Thomas Evans, Nicholas Welch, and James Scott. Sinking Creek About 1818 or 1820, Jacob Fraley, George Hollabough, and John Webb settled this area. Rockhouse Creek David Hogan, Hodge Adams, and Nancy Randal settled this area about 1818 or 1820. Hurricane Creek Allen Barber and the Jarmons settled early on this creek. Brush Creek Early settlers on this creek were John Siser, John Turner, Elijah Duncan, and the Cobles. Coon Creek Thomas Dowdy, Joshua Cotes, and Abraham Barber settled early this area. Other William Holmes, John L. Houston, Oswald Griffin, John Wims, Green B. Newsom, West Wood, John A. Rains, Aaron Lewis, Jacob Harmon, Mark Murphey, and Joseph Dixon were other early settlers to Perry County. Early Industry Iron Furnace Iron was found in large quantities along Marsh, Cedar, and Sinking Creeks. About 1834, Wallace Dixon erected the Cedar Grove Iron Furnace on Cedar Creek. Its operation was suspended in 1862. Mills The first horse-mill, on Lick Creek, was erected in 1820 by James Dixon. John Tracey erected the first water-mill on Cedar Creek in 1821. Between 1866 and 1880, Thomas Whitwell operated a wool-carding mill on Rockhouse Creek. During the 1870's, Josiah Bastian operated a woolen-mill on Cane Creek. Merchants James Yates was the first merchant. About 1819, he began his business on Tom Creek. Cotton Samuel Denton erected the first cotton-gin on Cedar Creek in 1821. This, however, was not a prominent industry. Tanneries Charles Gotthardt, a German, established the first tannery about 1843. It was located at a place on the Tennessee River called Rat Tail. Robert Houssels established a tannery in 1868 and James B. Sutton also had a tannery. Early Organization The first magistrates were James Dixon, Joseph Brown, William O. Britt, William Holmes, John L. Houston, Oswald Griffin, Enoch Hooper, Mr. Nunn, and Green B. Newsom. The act which established Perry County, provided for the quarter sessions and circuit court to be held at the house of James Yates. The first magistrates selected the house of James Dixon on Lick Creek as the place for holding their first session. At this session in January, 1820, Perry County was organized. The magistrates elected Joseph Brown as chairman of the court of quarter sessions. William Jarmon was elected as clerk, West Wood as sheriff, John A. Rains as register, Aaron Lewis as trustee, Jacob Harmon as ranger, Mark Murphey as coroner, and Joseph Dixon as constable. In 1845, an act of the General Assembly divided the county of Perry and established Decatur County with the Tennessee River as the boundary between the two. Perry County courts were then moved to Harrisburg where they remained for 2 years while a new county seat was being selected. By election, Linden was chosen over Harrisburg by a majority of 6 votes. David R. Harris donated 40 acres to the county to be used as the site of Linden. The town was surveyed, town lots sold, and the county was divided into 11 civil districts. County Court Records The first courts were held at the house of James Dixon and then moved to that of Mr. Barry on Tom Creek. In 1821, the county seat was established at Perryville on the west bank of the Tennessee River. The first courthouse in Linden was made of logs. It was replaced in 1849-1850 with a frame building. This building was burned along with its records during the Civil War. Only the records housed in offices not at the courthouse were saved. Available today are: Chancery Court beginning 1854, Circuit Court Minutes beginning in 1834, County Court Minutes beginning in 1865, Deeds beginning in 1844, Marriage Records beginning in 1865, and Probate Records beginning in 1847. County Court Officials County Court Clerks Since the War Jesse Taylor 1865 - 1867 John Taylor 1867 - 1868 R. A. Guthrie 1868 - 1870 T. J. Lewis 1870 - 1874 P. P. Pickard 1874 - 1882 C. L. Pearson 1882 - 1886 Registers Since 1840 J. A. Rains 1841 - 1846 Thomas Lomax 1846 - 1882 R. A. Kimbel 1882 - 1886 * Since J. A. Rains was the first register according to available records, it is very possible that he actually served beginning 1820. Sheriffs West Wood 1820 - 1828 John Easley 1828 - 1832 Larkin Baker 1832 - 1834 Madison Harris 1834 - 1836 William Welch 1836 - 1842 Abner Coleman 1842 - 1843 Hugh B. Hand 1843 - 1846 Thomas Simmons 1846 - 1847 John L. Webb 1847 - 1848 James Kelley 1848 - 1852 Moses Bates 1852 - 1856 James H. Brown 1856 - 1858 Moses Bates 1858 - 1862 ?????? James M. Dodson 1866 - 1868 Henry H. Long 1868 - 1870 John L. Webb 1870 - 1874 William J. Flowers 1874 - 1876 Edward W. Easley 1876 - 1878 A. D. Craig 1878 - 1882 J. M. Hunt 1882 - 1886 Chancery Court Clerks and Masters James H. Kinzer 1854 - 1858 I. N. Hulme 1858 - 1860 R. M. Thomas 1860 T. M. Brashear 1865 - 1868 H. J. Young 1868 - 1871 T. W. Edwards 1871 - 1877 W. A. Edwards 1877 - 1883 W. C. Webb 1883 - 1886 Circuit Court Clerks Since 1846 F. H. Kimble 1846 - 1850 T. W. Edwards 1850 - 1858 B. G. Rickman 1858 - to war J. P. Ledbetter 1865 - 1870 Lewis C. Waggoner 1870 - 1874 T. J. Evans 1874 - 1878 James E. Dodson 1878 - 1882 J. W. Lewis 1882 - 1886 Legislative Representatives H. M. Brown Robert Crudup Charles Graham Thomas M. Brashear Hartwell Barham F. H. Kimble William S. Maxwell William N. Baker Jesse Taylor C. B. Dodson J. B. Daniel State Senate H. H. Brown Thomas M. Brashear Warren Smith Settlements Beardstown Beardstown was established in 1830 and named after George Beard its first merchant. It is located on the west side of the Buffalo River about 8 miles below Linden. Britt's Landing On the east bank of the Tennessee River, Britt's Landing was established in 1839. As early as 1844 it was of considerable commercial importance. The post office was established in 1850. Cotton and peanuts were primary exports. William O. Britt and Son were the proprietors of the landing and also a large general store and warehouse. Cedar Creek Landing This landing had a post office, a store, and a warehouse. Cedar Grove Furnace A post office in Perry County in 1860. Denson's Landing This landing had a post office, a store, and a warehouse. Farmer's Valley Located on the Buffalo River 10 miles above Linden, this town had a post office, 2 stores and a warehouse. Linden The site of Linden consisted of 40 acres. It was donated to the county by David R. Harris. He reserved a few lots and named the town Linden. The town was surveyed into lots, including a public square. The lots were sold and the money from the sales was used to help with the expense of erecting public buildings. The first houses in Linden were built in 1847 by Jesse Taylor and Miles Prince. The first hotel was opened in 1849 by John L. Webb. The first store was opened by Dr. William C. Moore who was also the first physician and postmaster. In 1860 the town had a courthouse, public offices, an academy, and several stores. Lobelsville Lobelsville is a post-village on the west side of the Buffalo River about 5 miles below Beardstown. It was established in 1854 and named after Henry de Lobel, a French immigrant. There were 3 stores and a combined church and schoolhouse. Mouse Tail Landing On the east bank of the Tennessee River, this landing was established between 1840 and 1845. Homer and Blackburn had a grocery store for a number of years. Tan bark is the major export. New Era This landing had a post office, a store, and a warehouse. Patriot A post village in 1860. Peter's Landing This landing had a post office, a store, and a warehouse. Theodore This was a post-hamlet on Hurricane Creek with a wool-carding mill, grist mill, and a saw mill. Webb's This landing had a post office and a warehouse. Woods A post office was located here in 1860. Schools The first school in the county was taught by Ferry Stanley on Tom Creek in 1820. The first school in Linden was taught by Edwin H. Eldridge about 1848. Churches John Craig, of the Methodist Church was the first minister preaching in the county. He began preaching ca 1818 or 1819. A log building was erected on Lick Creek in 1825 by the Primitive Baptists. William Hodge and Samuel Akin/Atkin were the first ministers. The Baptists built the first church building in Linden in 1849 and Greenberry Mitchell was the first minister. The first camp-meeting was established on Lick Creek in 1826. Afterward another was established on White Oak Creek and another near Linden. Poor Farm In December, 1880, the county purchased a farm of 277 acres with its buildings from W. C. and J. L. Webb. This farm was located on the east side of the Buffalo River, about a mile from Linden. This farm was to serve as a home for the paupers of the county. According to Goodspeed, it housed on an average, 8 paupers per year. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - THE STORY TELLERS We are the chosen. My feelings are, in each family there is one who seems called to find the ancestors. To put flesh on their bones and make them live again, to tell the family story and to feel that somehow they know, and approve. To me, doing genealogy is not a cold gathering of facts but, instead, breathing life into all who have gone before. We are the story tellers of the tribe. All tribes have one. We have been called as it were, by our genes. Those who have gone before cry out to us: Tell our story. So, we do. In finding them, we somehow find ourselves. How many graves have I stood before now and cried? I have lost count. How many times have I told the ancestors you have a wonderful family you would be proud of us? How many times have I walked up to a grave and felt somehow there was love there for me? I cannot say. It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who am I and why do I do the things I do? It goes to seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to weeds and indifference and saying I can't let this happen. The bones here are bones of my bone and flesh of my flesh. It goes to doing something about it. It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today. It goes to respecting their hardships and losses, their never giving in or giving up, their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family. It goes to deep pride that they fought to make and keep us a Nation. It goes to a deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us. That we might be born who we are. That we might remember them. So we do. With love and caring and scribing each fact of their existence, because we are them and they are us. So, as a scribe called, I tell the story of my family. It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take their place in the long line of family storytellers. That, is why I do my family genealogy, and that is what calls those young and old to step up and put flesh on the bones. Author unknown The 1860 Census or Lots of Questions Answered The 1860 Census lists a dwelling number and family number and each sheet lists the county as well as town and post office name. Questions answered on the 1860 census include, name, age and sex of each individual; color, occupation, value of real and personal property; birthplace, whether married within the year (m.y.), whether attended school, can read or write and the date of the enumeration. Also included are boxes to indicate if an individual was a pauper or convict. Here is an article published in 1859 about the upcoming 1860 census: Friday September 23, 1859 Weekly Star THE NEXT CENSUS The year 1860 is the time appointed for taking the eighth census of the United States. From having been originally a simple enumeration's of persons, this Federal census has grown to be a decennial register of the number of inhabitants and their occupation, religious denominations & c, and also a statement of the commerce, manufacturers, arts and industry, and the wealth of the nation. The collection of these statistics has hitherto been attended with immense labor and difficulty. The inquiries of the census takers have not only been baffled by the stupidity and perverseness and ignorance of many to whom they were addressed; but it has been impossible to obtain accurate information upon important subjects because the parties; who alone are presumed capable of imparting it, have never taken the trouble to inform themselves. It often occurs that, in the absence of the head of a family no other member of it is able to give the information required; for instance as to the ages of the different members or it, or the amount of land in cultivation, the number of negroes and their ages, the quantity and value of horses, mules and oxen, etc., or of farming implements or farm products. In town and country similar difficulties are continually met with by the marshals appointed to collect these statistics, and the census is consequently returned incomplete. It is probably that while care will be observed to prevent any frauds or excess in the publication of the next census, it will be ordered by Congress to be taken so as to include all the most important items of information in regard to the progress of our population and our country. In view of this contingency the Nashville News very sensibly suggest that each farmer, this fall , as he gathers his crops, shall keep something like an accurate account of the quality and value of the same; and if he will take the trouble to make out a statement of the names and ages of his family; the number and ages of his servants, the number and value of his horses and mules; the number of bales of cotton, barrels of corn, bushels of wheat, oats, rye, barley, potatoes, etc., and leave it in some place where any member of thefamily, who may be at home when the deputy marshal shall call, can readily get hold of it, it will save time to all concerned, and very greatly assist to make the census return perfect, complete and satisfactory.