1870 Census on Family Search-Location Searches

Maybe I'm just really obtuse, but if it is there I am overlooking it.

Is there a way on the 1870 census at FamilySearch to search for John Smiths in a specific county?

1870 US Census on Family Search

The FamilySearch website indicates the 1870 Federal US Census on their site is 74% complete. Indexes are available for:

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Dakota Territory
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Mississippi
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Utah
• Vemont
• Washington
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

I'll have to give it a try on some of my brick walls. Unfortunately two of them were probably in Missouri in 1870, so I won't get too creative on searching for them until Missouri is added to the list of searchable states.

Formerly Pea Soup 1870 Census

The microfilmed copy of part of the 1870 Census for Northeast Township, Adams County, Illinois, is like looking at pea soup fog. One cannot make out anything.

FamilySearch now has added their own 1870 census images to compliment those at Ancestry.com. This image (the one with the grayer background) comes from FamilySearch.

The image from Ancestry in the 1870 census is also shows on this post.

Both are significantly better over the microfilm, which I gave up reading many years ago.

Family Search's image and indexes will be free when they are posted in their entirely. Ancestry's require a subscription. However, one may read names differently or "catch" someone the other does not.

Searching 1870 Census

We've posted two articles on our site on searching the 1870 census. The discussion is applicable to other years as well and focuses on alternate spellings for names, variant last names, places of birth, and other issues with locating people in the census. The focus is on organizing and thinking about what you want to search before you start mindlessly entering names in search boxes.

• Ready to Try 1870
• 1870 Census Finds

The second article centers on an analysis of entries located while trying to search for Johann Ufkes (born 1838 Ostfriesland, Germany) in the 1870 census and provides some ways to analyze entries.

Unfortunately I have not found either person (Johann Ufkes or Ira Sargent) I was looking for in 1870. But the search continues.

Women's Rights Advocate Elizabeth Cady Stanton-1870

Elizabeth Cady Stanton, one of the leaders of the women's rights movement is listed as "keeping house" in 1870 as shown in the image in this post.

The family was living in Hackensack, New Jersey and their household included four servants.

You can search for your relative in the 1870 census, but chances are if your female relative was "keeping house" she didn't have four servants to help. Those who don't have a subscription can read our free-trial suggestions here.

1870 Census--President William McKinley

The 1870 census found future president William McKinley living with his parents and working as a lawyer and living in Canton, Stark County, Ohio.

You can search for your relative in the 1870 census, but they probably aren't a future president....

1870 Census--Levi Strauss

He's not on page 501...nor is that his house number either.

The Levi Strauss of "Levi" jeans fame is living in San Francisco, California, in 1870.

You can search the 1870 census and see where your ancestor was living, but it won't tell you if he was wearing Levis or not.

1870 Census--George Custer

http://www.rootdig.com/1870census/1870_george_custer.html

George Custer is enumerated in Michigan with his parents in 1870.

His occupation is listed as Captain U S A. Of course, this is before his infamous "last stand." You can search the 1870 census and see where your ancestor was standing...err residing in that year.

1870 Census--Boss Tweed

As the image indicates, several attempts were made to ascertain information on the family of New York City politician "Boss Tweed"

for the 1870 census. The ages of all household members are blank on the census form as are the property values. This note was made by the census taker.

You can search the 1870 United States Federal Census at Ancestry.com for your ancestor--who hopefully answered more questions than the Tweeds did

1870 Census--P T Barnum

The 1870 census indicates P T Barnum was relatively well-off, with real estate valued at $800, 000. Barnum is living with his wife in Connecticut, apparently on the "right side of the tracks." Keep in mind that even if you ancestor always went by his full name, the censustaker still might have decided to enumerate him only with his initials.

This image was part of the census images database at Ancestry.Com.

1870 census--Laura Ingalls Wilder

The 1870 census is the first one in which future author Laura Ingalls Wilder is enumerated. At the time her family is living in

Montgomery County, Kansas, which can be seen in the complete enumeration.

The 1870 United States Federal Census has been indexed and can be searched at Ancestry.com

1870 census--John Rockefeller

In 1870, John Rockefeller was already on his way to establishing his fortune. The census taker found him in Cincinnati, Ohio, living with his wife and two young children in addition to a variety of servants. The complete enumeration for Rockefeller can be viewed on our site. The 1870 census can be searched at Ancestry.com.

1870 Census--Harriet Beecher Stowe

The author of Uncle Tom's Cabin is enumerated with her family in 1870. Not many females are listed in 1870 with an occupation, but Stowe is listed as an "authoress" and her husband is appropriately listed as a clergyman. The complete enumeration for the Stowes, along with a citation, can be viewed on our site.