Wednesday, July 15, 2009

The Census of 1860. The strangest census of them all. It was printed in May of 1862. Printed while no one knew what would happen to the nation.

This truly is the end of the road in the field of the census. From the first census in 1790 to 1860, it dealt with issues that today we find horrific. It was approved to be printed on May 19, 1862. The information from the southern states of course could not be double checked and some of it dated from 1859. The next census of 1870 would be of a whole new nature.This census was the only one ever done that was not shared with the country as a whole.

This was also the last census to deal with the awful blight of slavery.


You will see that in this census the listing of races and free Blacks, Slaves, Indians and also Chinese. It is chilling to see this was the norm only 150 years ago.