Census Takers

For the Genealogists:

The census of 1880 was to be made based on things as they existed on June 1, 1880, and the census takers only had 30 days to get the job done.  The statistics to be embraced included the actual population, race, age, sex, nativity, householder, boarder, servant, the blind, the deaf, the lame and the infirm.  Regarding banks, steamships, railroad, insurance and other kinds of commercial enterprises, blank schedules were to be furnished to the householder, manufacturers or business corporations for them to complete.

The pay of the enumerators ranged from $4-6 per day according to the sparseness or density of population in each subdivision, but the law provided that the subdivision of any one enumerator should not exceed 4,000 inhabitants according to the census of 1870.

Enumerators for the 1880 census were to be paid two cents for each inhabitant, two cents for each death reported, ten cents for each farm, fifteen cents for each establishment of productive industry that they showed on their returns.

Census takers had to reside within the limits of their subdivision and that any person who willfully failed or refused to render a true account when questioned by the enumerator was deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction be subjected to a fine of $100.

The early census of 1870 took place on May 1 but owing to numerous changes of the residences of persons at that time of year, the new time was set. The census year began on June 1, 1879, and ended May 31, 1880. Enumerators were chosen solely on account of their fitness and without reference to their political affiliations and sworn not to disclose any information imparted to them.