United States Census: 1870 - 1930

Personal Information Census Image Name:   Ignatz Wenk Age in 1870:   48 Estimated birth year:   <abt 1822> Birthplace:   Prussia Occupation:   Farmer Post Office:   Fredonia Home in 1870:   Freedom, Washtenaw, Michigan Marital status:   Married Roll:   M593_707 Page:   177 Image:   358 View image View blank 1870 census form  (PDF 136K) SOURCE INFORMATION: Data imaged from National Archives and Records Administration. 1870 Federal Population Census. M593, 1,761 rolls; part of Minnesota T132, 13 rolls. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration.

   The official enumeration day of the 1870 census was the first of June in 1870. All questions asked were supposed to refer to that date. The 1870 census form called for the 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.
   Enumerators of the 1870 census were instructed to record the names of every person in the household. Added to this, enumerators were presented with printed instructions, which account for the greater degree of accuracy compared with earlier censuses. Enumerators were asked to include the following categories in the census: name; age at last birthday (if a child was under one year of age, months of age were to be stated as fractions, such as 1/12); sex; color; profession; occupation or trade of every male and female; value of real estate; place of birth; whether mother and father were of foreign birth; whether born or married within the year and the month; those who could not read; those who could not write; whether deaf, dumb, blind, or insane or "idiotic". No relationships were shown between members of a household. The categories allowed Congress to determine persons residing in the United States for collection of taxes and the appropriation of seats in the House of Representatives.
   After 20 years in the U.S., Ignatz Wenk and his wife, Anna appear for the first time in this decade's census. Ignatz is a 48-year-old farmer, with $2600 worth of property and $660 in other assets. Meanwhile, Anna (born in Baden, and aged 72!!!) is "keeping house." Soon, however, she would pass away and Ignatz would meet his next wife, Eva Catherine, who he would marry in 1872. Coolest of all, the name of Ignatz' post office is the name of the country Groucho Marx runs in "Duck Soup."

1880 CENSUS:

Personal Information Census Image Name:   Ignatz Wenk Age:   54 Estimated birth year:   <1826> Birthplace:   Baden Occupation:   Farmer Home in 1880:   Freedom, Washtenaw, Michigan Marital status:   Married Year:   1880 Father's birthplace:   Baden Mother's birthplace:   Baden View image View blank 1880 census form  (PDF 13K) Year: 1880; Census Place: Freedom, Washtenaw, Michigan; Roll: T9_608; Family History Film: 1254608; Page: 158D; Enumeration District: 229; Image: 0623.

   The 1880 census was the first to identify an individual’s relation to the head of household. In addition, the 1880 census was the first to identify the state, county, and other subdivisions; the name of the street and house number for urban households; illness or disability at the time the census was taken; marital status; number of months unemployed during the year; and the state or country of birth of every individual’s father and mother.
   The 1880 census began on 1 June 1880 for the general population of the United States. The enumeration was to be completed within thirty days, or two weeks for communities with populations of 10,000 or more. Regardless of when an individual was contacted, all responses were to reflect the status of the individual as of 1 June 1880, the official Census Day.
   The 1880 census is a valuable tool in part because it is the only US census available for the last two decades of the 1800s. Most of the original 1890 population schedules were destroyed in a fire at the Commerce Department in 1921. Less than one percent of the schedules—records enumerating only 6,160 individuals—survived.
   In this census, Ignatz Wenk is now 54, and his second wife, Catherine, is 43. He has adopted her daughter, Catherine, who is listed as an 11-year-old, born in Michigan. They have also had four more children in their first ten years of marriage: John (age 9), Joseph (age 7), Martin (age 5), and Louisa (age 2).
   Ignatz' brother, Joseph Wenk, a tailor, has emigrated to the U.S. and is also listed with his family on this page, below Ignatz.

1900 CENSUS:

Personal Information Census Image Name: Catherine, Joseph and Martin Wenk Home in 1900: Freedom, Washtenaw, Michigan Age: 24 Estimated birth year: 1876 Birthplace: Michigan Occupation: Farmer View image View blank 1900 census form  (PDF 13K) SOURCE INFORMATION: 1900 United States Federal Census. T623, 1854 rolls. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington DC. Census Place: Freedom, Washtenaw, Michigan; Roll: T623 746; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 94.

   The official enumeration day of the 1900 census was the 1st of June in 1900. There were a total of forty-five states in the Union, with Utah being the latest addition and Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Oklahoma enumerated as territories.
   Enumerators of the 1900 census were instructed to record the names of every person in the household, and list the following categories: name; address; relationship to the head of household; color or race; sex; month and year of birth; age at last birthday; marital status; number of years married; the total number of children born of the mother; the number of those children living; places of birth of each individual and the parents of each individual; if the individual was foreign born, the year of immigration and the number of years in the United States; the citizenship status of foreign-born individuals over age twenty-one; occupation; whether the person could read, write, and speak English; whether the home was owned or rented; whether the home was on a farm; and whether the home was mortgaged.
   Ignatz Wenk passed away in 1897. His sons, Joseph and Martin Wenk, are still at home working the farm for 69-year-old Catherine, who interestingly is listed as speaking no English.

1910 CENSUS:

Personal Information Census Image Name:   Martin Wenk Age in 1910:   34 Estimated birth year:   1875 Birthplace:   Michigan Home in 1910:   LIMA TWP, Washtenaw, Michigan Race:   White Gender:   Male Series:   T624 Roll:   677 Part:   2 Page:   223b Year:   1910 View image View blank 1910 census form  (PDF 136K) SOURCE INFORMATION: Data imaged from National Archives and Records Administration. 1910 Federal Population Census. T624, 1,784 rolls. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration.

   The official enumeration day of the 1910 census was 15 April 1910. By that time, there were a total of forty-six states in the Union, with Utah and Oklahoma being the latest editions and Arizona, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska as territories.
   Enumerators of the 1910 census were instructed to record the names of every person in the household, with the following categories in the census: name; relationship to head of family; age at last birthday; sex; color or race; whether single, married, widowed, or divorced; number of years of present marriage; number of children born; number of children now living; birthplace; mother tongue; birthplace of father and mother; mother tongue of father and mother; year of immigration to the US; whether naturalized or alien; whether able to speak English, or if not, give language spoken; trade or profession; industry; whether employer, employee, or working on own account; if an employee, whether out of work on April 15, 1910; if an employee, number of weeks out of work during year 1909, whether able to read; whether able to write; attended school any time since September 1, 1909; home owned or rented; home owned free or mortgaged; farm or house; number of farm schedule; whether a survivor of the Union or Confederate Army or Navy; whether blind; whether deaf and dumb.
   By this time, Martin was now married to 29-year-old Matha Grieb. They live in Lima Township and have one son so far, named Elmer. Martin is listed as a laborer in a threshing business.

1920 CENSUS:

Personal Information Census Image Name:   Martin Wenk Age in 1910:   43 Estimated birth year:   1876 Birthplace:   Michigan Home in 1920:   Freedom, Washtenaw, Michigan Roll:   T625_799 Page:   6A ED:   147 Image:   1175 View image View blank 1920 census form  (PDF 136K) SOURCE INFORMATION: Data imaged from National Archives and Records Administration. 1920 Federal Population Census. Series T624, 1,784 rolls. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration.

   The 1920 Census was begun on the 1st of January in 1920. The following questions were asked by enumerators: Name of street, avenue road, etc.; house number or farm; number of dwelling in order of visitation; number of family in order of visitation; name of each person whose place of abode was with the family; relationship of person enumerated to the head of the family; whether home owned or rented; if owned, whether free or mortgaged; sex; color or race; age at last birthday; whether single, married, widowed, or divorced; year of immigration to United States; whether naturalized or alien; if naturalized, year of naturalization; whether attended school any time since 1 September 1919; whether able to read; whether able to write; person's place of birth; mother tongue; father's place of birth; father's mother tongue; mother's place of birth; mother's mother tongue; whether able to speak English; trade, profession, or particular kind of work done; industry, business, or establishment in which at work; whether employer, salary or wage worker, or working on own account; number of farm schedule. In 1920 the census included, for the first time, Guam, American Samoa, and the Panama Canal Zone.
   The original 1920 census schedules were destroyed by authorization of the Eighty-third Congress, so it is not possible to consult originals when microfilm copies prove unreadable. But fortunately, we can still read here that Martin and his family are listed right underneath Joseph's. Martin (43) and Martha (39) now have 6 kids: Elmer (10), Erwin (9), Rubena (8), Edna (7), Ernest (5), and Norman (nearly 2). Martin is listed as a "working farmer," as a general laborer and the owner of a threshing business.

1930 CENSUS:

Personal Information Census Image Name:   Martin Wenk Age in 1930:   54 Birth year:   1876 Birthplace:   Michigan Home in 1930:   Freedom, Washtenaw, Michigan Owns radio:   Yes View image View blank 1930 census form  (PDF 136K) SOURCE INFORMATION: Data imaged from National Archives and Records Administration. 1930 Federal Population Census. T626, 2,667 rolls. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration. Census Place: Freedom, Washtenaw, Michigan; Roll: 1029; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 22; Image: 836.0.

   The 1930 United States Federal Census is the largest census released to date and is the most recent census available for public access. (Census records are not released publicly until exactly 72 years from the official census date. The 1940 census records will be available in 2012.).
   This census gives us a glimpse into the lives of Americans in 1930, and contains records for approximately 123 million Americans.
   By 1930, Martin (54) and Martha (49 -- she would die seven years later) are still in Freedom, and all the kids still live at home, working the farm: Elmer (20), Erwin (19), Rubena (18), Edna (16), Ernest (15), and Norman (12). Martin is listed as a "working farmer," as a general farmer, as do all of his sons, but the threshing business is no longer reported. Why hasn't it been reported? To find out, click here. (Just a guess.)