03 February 2007

Double Entry Census Error


It looks like a typo on the 1870 census in Walker Township, Hancock County, Illinois for the family of James and Elizabeth Rampley---and it is. They did not have two sons named John--the 23 year old should have been enumerated as James. Just goes to show that the census taker can make mistakes.
And keep in mind that the copy we use on microfilm is the "cleaned" up copy the census taker sent to the Bureau of the Census and one that was compiled from his field notes.