26 April 2007

A German Takes the Census


Would you have thought that entry 70/71 was supposed to be Riley Rampley? Sure enough it is. The first time I searched for Riley years ago, I never realized this entry was for him. I knew the family was living in Walker Township, Hancock County, Illinois--where they had lived for years, but could not find them.
The German-born census taker occasionally put his own spin on the surnames when completing the enumeration. The wife of Riley is actually Nancy, but it has been spelled Nanzy.
And the Thomas Ramplie (71/72) is Riley's older brother.