10 August 2011

1885 Iowa State Census Find

I really didn't expect to find this 1885 Iowa State Census entry. In fact, I happened upon it while searching for something else at FamilySearch.

It is the family of August and Louise Mortier, living in Winfield Township (page 581), in Scott County, Iowa. The Mortiers are in Rock Island County, Illinois (across the river) in 1880 and there again in 1900 and 1910, although the 1880 and 1900 census lists them living in the city.

The Mortiers did not live in Iowa very long, but the census enumeration does tell me that August and family was  living in the Northeast quarter of section 14 in Winfield Township. There is no indication of whether he owns the property or is renting--I need to check land records for that.

It is somewhat unusual for Belgians to be living on the Iowa side of the River in the 1880s--there's another item to learn more about as well.