2013 2.pdf Davie Dossier, April 2013 page 1
DAVIE DOSSIER
Issued by
Davie County Historical and Genealogical Society
Mocksville, North Carolina
April 2013, Issue 2
Special edition about census records
Davie Dossier, April 2013 page 2
Davie County Historical and Genealogical Society
President, Linda Leonard
Vice President, Pat Mason
Secretary, Pat Reilly
Treasurer, Marie Roth
Board of Directors, Claude Horn
Dossier Editor, Marie Roth
Webmaster, Marie Roth
Our Website, www.rootsweb.ancestry.com.com/~ncdavhgs has these features:
All the churches in Davie County
Cemeteries in Davie County with locations
Names on the War Memorial in Mocksville
Index to Bible Family Records at DCPL
Order blanks so you don’t tear up Dossier
History of nine newspapers in Davie County
Meeting Dates and Programs
Guardian Accounts, Davie Co., 1846-1859
Apprentice Bonds, Davie Co., 1829-1959
1974 booklet about old schools in Davie
Branson’s NC Business Directories for Davie Co.
Sources for black family history
Another Website about Davie County genealogy and history:
http://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Davie_County%2C_North_Carolina
Meetings are on the fourth Thursdays at 7 pm at Davie County Library History Room.
PROGRAMS IN 2013:
January 24: Power Point Presentation by Marie Roth “How to Write a History Book”
February 28: Scott Douglas, Historic Interpreter of Fort Dobbs; Power Point presentation
March 28: Charles Crenshaw, History of Davie County
April 25: US Census, examples and guidelines for using
May 4: Daniel Boone Festival on the Square in Mocksville
June 27: Larry Campbell, Using Ancestry.Com
August 3: Yadkin Valley Historical Association annual workshop in Statesville
September 26:
October 24:
November 21:
Future National Genealogical Conferences:
May 8-11, 2013, National Genealogical Society at Las Vegas NV;
www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/conference_info
August 21-24, 2013, Federation of Genealogical Societies at Fort Wayne IN
www.fgs.org/cpage.php?pt=43
Future State Genealogical Conferences:
June 8, 2013, NCGS Regional Workshop, ImaginOn Center, Charlotte, J. Mark Lowe
November 9, 2013, NCGS Annual Workshop, McKimmon Center, Raleigh, Craig R. Scott
Both are described at www.ncgenealogy.org
If you would like to receive your Dossier as a PDF attachment in an E-mail instead of a paper
copy, please send an E-mail message to the editor at hildegarde39@yahoo.com . Please state “E-
mail my Dossier instead of mailing a paper copy” and include your E-mail address. This saves
money, time, postage, effort, and paper.
Davie Dossier, April 2013 page 3
THE 1930 US CENSUS AND VETERANS
The 1930 US Census asked on the far right side of the page if the head of the household had been in the
military and if they been in a war. This table lists Civil War and Spanish American War veterans still living in
Davie in 1930, whether their wife was still living or if they were Wd (widowed), and the number of children who
were still living at home.
The 1930 Census was one of the sources of information for the book, Davie County in World War One.
There were 184 WWI men listed in the 1930 census for Davie County.
Men from Davie County in the Civil War As Found in the 1930 US Census
Township Veteran Age Occupation Wife Children
Shady
Grove Thomas L. Janes 81 Farmer Wd 1
Clarksville John C. Graves 89 Wd 2
Clarksville William M. Cleary 85 None Wd 1
Farmington James J. Hendrix 85 None Wd 1
Farmington Greenbury B. Harding 87 Farmer Yes 0
Jerusalem Robert L. Benson 83 None Yes 0
Jerusalem John N. Charles 92 None Wd 1
Jerusalem John D. Hodges 85 Farmer Yes 1
Mocksville Giles Howard 92 None Wd 0
Mocksville Will C. Denny 89 None Wd 1
Mocksville William A. Wiant 89 None Yes 1
Mocksville Simeon Gains 83 None Yes 0
Men from Davie County in the Spanish American War (1898) As Found in the 1930 US Census
Township Veteran Age Occupation Wife Children
Advance T. Moronie Sherman 57 Farmer Yes 5
Advance Pearley L. Carter** 43 Farmer Yes 6
Clarksville Watson Lowery 51 Farmer Yes 2
Farmington Luther L. West 58 None Yes 0
Jerusalem Albert S. Arndt 51 Farmer Yes 2
Jerusalem Thomas L. Allsabrook 51 Electrician at power plant Yes 2
Jerusalem Bernie R. McClean 51 Napper at cotton mill Yes 1
** Abbreviation of war was Phil. – probably the war in the Philippines after the Spanish American War; but he would have
been only 11 years old in 1898. He enlisted in the military when he was 20. Comment from Charlie Harvel: “Check out the
Philippine Moro Rebellion (1899-1913). I'll bet this guy was involved in fighting during that insurrection. Also, remember,
we had substantial numbers of troops in the Philippines leading up to WW2.”
Davie Dossier, April 2013 page 4
NON-POPULATION CENSUS
The photograph at the left shows the boxes of the
eleven new rolls of microfilm that are in the History
Room of Davie County Public Library.
(Slave Schedules for 1850 and 1860 were already at
the history room.)
The following table summarizes the information on
each roll. These 13 rolls are in the second drawer of
the film cabinet. Counties are listed alphabetically.
Non-Population Census Microfilm at DCPL History Room
Title 1850 1860 1870 1880
Agriculture Alamance-Orange Alamance-Jones Davie-Randolph Columbus-Duplin
Mortality Alamance-Yancey Alamance-Yancey Alamance-Yancey Alamance-Pitt
Industrial Alamance-Yancey none Alamance-Yancey Alamance-Franklin
Slave Multiple counties Multiple counties none none
Agriculture: You’ll need sharp eyes to read all these little numbers on the page, but it might tell you how many
cows, horses, etc. that your relative owned if he was a farmer. For templates to use for filling in the numbers, see
the Web site, http://www.census.gov/history/pdf/agcensusschedules.pdf . You can print out the pages you need
for filling in information.
Mortality: In 1850, 60, 70 and 80, the census taker had a second responsibility. He/she was to ask each
household if anybody had died in the past year. Those names were listed, along with age, gender, race, household
number on population census, cause of death, month of death, name of doctor. For more information read
https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/United_States_Census_Mortality_Schedules. You will encounter
diseases such as apoplexy, scrofula, Phthisis, Bold Hives, and consumption. For a glossary of archaic medical
terms see http://rmhh.co.uk/illness.html .
Industrial: These pages list the businesses in each township. For example, the 1850 census for Davie listed ten
distilleries. (Branson’s Business Directories also listed these. They are online for Davie on our Web site at
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ncdavhgs/ . Look under the heading “Other Links” for links to each year.)
Slave: Much to the dismay of African American researchers, these two years of schedules, 1850 and 1860, only
listed the slave owners’ names and the slaves by age, gender, race (black or mulatto), but not name. For a map of
slavery, see https://www.census.gov/history/pdf/slavedensitymap.pdf .
All the rolls of microfilm are listed at
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ncdavhgs/microfilminventory.pdf
If you are interested in learning more about maps and their history, the book, On the Map, by Simon Garfield will
be a good read for you. He also wrote an interesting book about fonts and their history, Just My Type.
Davie Dossier, April 2013 page 5
POPULATION CENSUS SUGGESTIONS
Names: When I was researching one of my books, I needed information about Benjamin Philmore White. This
is how his name was listed in each of the census schedules and other public records:
1910: Filmore
1920: Benjamin F.
1930: B.F.
1940: Filmore
Social Security Death Index: Benjamin
WWI Draft Registration: Bennie Filmore
son’s birth: Philmon
You can see that you must be persistent and creative for finding information about a specific person because of
variant spellings.
Census for Davie County is found on microfilm at the history room, indexed books sold by our Society,
ancestry.com, heritagequest.com, and familysearch.org.
Davie County 1850 Census was published in book form by Forsyth Genealogical Society before the advent of
the Internet. They recently gave our society these books to sell. They are $10 each plus $5 postage if you would
like to order one. See page 9.
Ancestry: Sometimes putting too much information into the search fields prevents the search engine from finding
the person you are seeking.
Birth year: On page 8, you’ll find a table that lists a quick way to learn someone’s approximate birth year. For
example, you find a person who is 37 on the 1850 census. Using the table, find 1850 in the row at the top, age 37
in the left column. Where this row and column intersect, you will find 1813 as the approximate birth year. There
could be errors in the person giving the information, how the census taker wrote it down, or when the birthday
fell. The official date of the 1850 census was June 1. So if the person was born on June 2, the person’s age
should have been listed as the age he/she was on June 1. On the chart, why did I begin the years at 1850?
Because that’s the first year that the census listed the age as a single number rather than in a range of numbers.
Variation: Each year of the census asks different questions: how many children the mother had and how many
living, monetary worth, immigration, where you lived 5 years ago, etc. 1900 asked for month/year of birth !
FEDERAL CENSUS INFORMATION
YEAR ROLLS POPULATION OF US SURNAMES OFFICIAL DATE
1790 12 3,900,000 Head only August 2
1800 52 5,300,000 Head only August 4
1810 71 7,200,000 Head only August 6
1820 142 9,600,000 Head only August 7
1830 201 12,900,000 Head only June 1
1840 580 17,100,000 Head only June 1
1850 1,009 23,200,000 All June 1
1860 1,438 31,500,000 All June 1
1870 1,761 38,600,000 All June1
1880 1,454 50,200,000 All June 1
1890 3 63,000,000 All
1900 1,854 76,200,000 All June 1
1910 1,784 92,200,000 All April 15
1920 2,076 106,000,000 All January 1
1930 2,667 127,000,000 All April 1
1940 4,643 132,164,569 All April 1
Davie Dossier, April 2013 page 6
CENSUS TABLE FOR MY FAMILY
Name 1850 1860 1870 1880 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940
My father
My mother
My father’s father
My father’s mother
My mother’s father
My mother’s mother
My father’s father’s father
My father’s father’s mother
My father’s mother’s father
My father’s mother’s mother
My mother’s father’s father
My mother’s father’s mother
My mother’s mother’s father
My mother’s mother’s mother
Write the person’s name under the description.
In the other blocks, write the name of the county and the person’s age, or whatever you would like to list.
This will help you determine if you’ve found each census for your relative. Notice that 1890 column is missing.
Form by Marie Roth, feel free to copy and share.
Davie Dossier, April 2013 page 7
The "Census Taker" Author Unknown
It was the first day of census, and all through the land;
The pollster was ready ... a black book in hand.
He mounted his horse for a long dusty ride;
His book and some quills were tucked close by his side.
A long winding ride down a road barely there;
Toward the smell of fresh bread wafting up through the air.
The woman was tired, with lines on her face;
And wisps of brown hair she tucked back into place.
She gave him some water ... as they sat at the table;
And she answered his questions ... the best she was able.
He asked of her children ... Yes, she had quite a few;
The oldest was twenty, the youngest not quite two.
She held up a toddler with cheeks round and red;
his sister, she whispered, was napping in bed.
She noted each person who lived there with pride;
And she felt the faint stirrings of the wee one inside.
He noted the sex, the colour, the age ..
The marks from the quill soon filled up the page.
At the number of children, she nodded her head;
And saw her lips quiver for the three that were dead.
The places of birth she "never forgot";
Was it Kansas? or Utah? Or Oregon ... or not?
They came from Scotland, of that she was clear;
But she wasn't quite sure just how long they'd been here.
They spoke of employment, of schooling and such;
They could read some and write some ... though really not much.
When the questions were answered, his job there was done;
So he mounted his horse and he rode toward the sun.
We can imagine his voice loud and clear;
"May God Bless you all for another ten years."
Now picture a time warp ... it's now you and me;
As we search for the people on our family tree.
We squint at the census and scroll down so slow;
As we search for that entry from long, long ago.
Could they only imagine on that long ago day;
That the entries they made would affect us this way?
If they knew, would they wonder at the yearning we feel;
And the searching that makes them so increasingly real.
We can hear if we listen the words they impart;
Through their blood in our veins and their voices in our heart.
The chart on the next page was created fairly quickly with a spreadsheet. Instead of typing in each number, I used
formulas to fill in the ages and years. All your computer skills can be used in some way with your recording of
your genealogy and family history.
Davie Dossier, April 2013 page 8
SUBTRACTION TABLE – CENSUS GIVES AGE – WHAT APPROXIMATE YEAR WERE THEY BORN?
age 1850 1860 1870 1880 1900 1910 1920 1930 age 1850 1860 1870 1880 1900 1910 1920 1930
1 1849 1859 1869 1879 1899 1909 1919 1929 51 1799 1809 1819 1829 1849 1859 1869 1879
2 1848 1858 1868 1878 1898 1908 1918 1928 52 1798 1808 1818 1828 1848 1858 1868 1878
3 1847 1857 1867 1877 1897 1907 1917 1927 53 1797 1807 1817 1827 1847 1857 1867 1877
4 1846 1856 1866 1876 1896 1906 1916 1926 54 1796 1806 1816 1826 1846 1856 1866 1876
5 1845 1855 1865 1875 1895 1905 1915 1925 55 1795 1805 1815 1825 1845 1855 1865 1875
6 1844 1854 1864 1874 1894 1904 1914 1924 56 1794 1804 1814 1824 1844 1854 1864 1874
7 1843 1853 1863 1873 1893 1903 1913 1923 57 1793 1803 1813 1823 1843 1853 1863 1873
8 1842 1852 1862 1872 1892 1902 1912 1922 58 1792 1802 1812 1822 1842 1852 1862 1872
9 1841 1851 1861 1871 1891 1901 1911 1921 59 1791 1801 1811 1821 1841 1851 1861 1871
10 1840 1850 1860 1870 1890 1900 1910 1920 60 1790 1800 1810 1820 1840 1850 1860 1870
11 1839 1849 1859 1869 1889 1899 1909 1919 61 1789 1799 1809 1819 1839 1849 1859 1869
12 1838 1848 1858 1868 1888 1898 1908 1918 62 1788 1798 1808 1818 1838 1848 1858 1868
13 1837 1847 1857 1867 1887 1897 1907 1917 63 1787 1797 1807 1817 1837 1847 1857 1867
14 1836 1846 1856 1866 1886 1896 1906 1916 64 1786 1796 1806 1816 1836 1846 1856 1866
15 1835 1845 1855 1865 1885 1895 1905 1915 65 1785 1795 1805 1815 1835 1845 1855 1865
16 1834 1844 1854 1864 1884 1894 1904 1914 66 1784 1794 1804 1814 1834 1844 1854 1864
17 1833 1843 1853 1863 1883 1893 1903 1913 67 1783 1793 1803 1813 1833 1843 1853 1863
18 1832 1842 1852 1862 1882 1892 1902 1912 68 1782 1792 1802 1812 1832 1842 1852 1862
19 1831 1841 1851 1861 1881 1891 1901 1911 69 1781 1791 1801 1811 1831 1841 1851 1861
20 1830 1840 1850 1860 1880 1890 1900 1910 70 1780 1790 1800 1810 1830 1840 1850 1860
21 1829 1839 1849 1859 1879 1889 1899 1909 71 1779 1789 1799 1809 1829 1839 1849 1859
22 1828 1838 1848 1858 1878 1888 1898 1908 72 1778 1788 1798 1808 1828 1838 1848 1858
23 1827 1837 1847 1857 1877 1887 1897 1907 73 1777 1787 1797 1807 1827 1837 1847 1857
24 1826 1836 1846 1856 1876 1886 1896 1906 74 1776 1786 1796 1806 1826 1836 1846 1856
25 1825 1835 1845 1855 1875 1885 1895 1905 75 1775 1785 1795 1805 1825 1835 1845 1855
26 1824 1834 1844 1854 1874 1884 1894 1904 76 1774 1784 1794 1804 1824 1834 1844 1854
27 1823 1833 1843 1853 1873 1883 1893 1903 77 1773 1783 1793 1803 1823 1833 1843 1853
28 1822 1832 1842 1852 1872 1882 1892 1902 78 1772 1782 1792 1802 1822 1832 1842 1852
29 1821 1831 1841 1851 1871 1881 1891 1901 79 1771 1781 1791 1801 1821 1831 1841 1851
30 1820 1830 1840 1850 1870 1880 1890 1900 80 1770 1780 1790 1800 1820 1830 1840 1850
31 1819 1829 1839 1849 1869 1879 1889 1899 81 1769 1779 1789 1799 1819 1829 1839 1849
32 1818 1828 1838 1848 1868 1878 1888 1898 82 1768 1778 1788 1798 1818 1828 1838 1848
33 1817 1827 1837 1847 1867 1877 1887 1897 83 1767 1777 1787 1797 1817 1827 1837 1847
34 1816 1826 1836 1846 1866 1876 1886 1896 84 1766 1776 1786 1796 1816 1826 1836 1846
35 1815 1825 1835 1845 1865 1875 1885 1895 85 1765 1775 1785 1795 1815 1825 1835 1845
36 1814 1824 1834 1844 1864 1874 1884 1894 86 1764 1774 1784 1794 1814 1824 1834 1844
37 1813 1823 1833 1843 1863 1873 1883 1893 87 1763 1773 1783 1793 1813 1823 1833 1843
38 1812 1822 1832 1842 1862 1872 1882 1892 88 1762 1772 1782 1792 1812 1822 1832 1842
39 1811 1821 1831 1841 1861 1871 1881 1891 89 1761 1771 1781 1791 1811 1821 1831 1841
40 1810 1820 1830 1840 1860 1870 1880 1890 90 1760 1770 1780 1790 1810 1820 1830 1840
41 1809 1819 1829 1839 1859 1869 1879 1889 91 1759 1769 1779 1789 1809 1819 1829 1839
42 1808 1818 1828 1838 1858 1868 1878 1888 92 1758 1768 1778 1788 1808 1818 1828 1838
43 1807 1817 1827 1837 1857 1867 1877 1887 93 1757 1767 1777 1787 1807 1817 1827 1837
44 1806 1816 1826 1836 1856 1866 1876 1886 94 1756 1766 1776 1786 1806 1816 1826 1836
45 1805 1815 1825 1835 1855 1865 1875 1885 95 1755 1765 1775 1785 1805 1815 1825 1835
46 1804 1814 1824 1834 1854 1864 1874 1884 96 1754 1764 1774 1784 1804 1814 1824 1834
47 1803 1813 1823 1833 1853 1863 1873 1883 97 1753 1763 1773 1783 1803 1813 1823 1833
48 1802 1812 1822 1832 1852 1862 1872 1882 98 1752 1762 1772 1782 1802 1812 1822 1832
49 1801 1811 1821 1831 1851 1861 1871 1881 99 1751 1761 1771 1781 1801 1811 1821 1831
50 1800 1810 1820 1830 1850 1860 1870 1880 100 1750 1760 1770 1780 1800 1810 1820 1830
Davie Dossier, April 2013 page 9
.ORDERING ITEMS AND/OR PAYING DUES. (Out of state residents don’t pay state tax when ordering.)
Title Author Non-
NC
NC No. Cost
BOOKS:
Davie County.A Brief History,
paperback
James W. Wall, 128 pages $9.00 $9.39
The Boone Families in Davie County Wall, Howell Boone, Flossie Martin $8.00 $8.31
Davie County Marriages 1836-1900 Nancy K. Murphy $25.00 $26.55
Davie County Marriages 1901-1959 Nancy K. Murphy $25.00 $26.55
Davie County Cemeteries, a 2-volume
set
D.C. Historical/Gen. Soc. $55.00 $58.88
1850 Federal Census-Davie County Forsyth Genealogical Society $15.00 $15.68
1860 Federal Census-Davie County Nancy K. Murphy and Everette Sain $20.00 $21.16
1870 Federal Census-Davie County Nancy K. Murphy and Everette Sain $20.00 $21.16
MAPS OF DAVIE COUNTY:
Lagle Land Grant $8.00 $8.31
Hughes Historical, 1700's, drawn in 1977 $8.00 $8.31
J.T. Alderman, 1887 $6.00 $6.47
Wilson F. Merrell, 1928 $6.00 $6.47
POSTCARDS OF DAVIE CO. SCENES, (set of 8) $2.50 $2.50 $2.50
CD of all issues Davie Dossier since 1987 $7.00 $7.39
TOTAL NUMBER AND COST
Make check to DCHGS and send to address at bottom of page. Prices include tax, postage, and handling.
Davie County Heritage Book, non-NC resident cost is $45; NC resident cost is $48.10.
Make check to Davie County Heritage Book. Use DCHGS address below.
The Historic Architecture of Davie Co., non-NC resident cost is $30; NC resident cost is $31.94.
History of Davie County, hardback, by James W. Wall, 449 pages; non-NC resident cost is $30; NC resident cost is
$31.94. Make check to Davie County Public Library. Use DCHGS address below.
The Civil War Roster of Davie County by Mary Alice Miller Hasty and Hazel Miller Winfree incorporates biographical
and military service sketches of 1,147 Davie County Civil War veterans. Non -NC resident cost is $60. NC resident cost is
$64.26. Checks should be made out to M & M Books and sent to Mary Alice Hasty, 105 East Brick Walk Court,
Mocksville NC 27028.
Images of America, Davie County by Debra Dotson and Jane McAllister. 128 page book of old photos and descriptions.
Order from Jane McAllister, DCPL, 371 N. Main St., Mocksville NC 270 28. Make check to Jane McAllister. Non-NC
resident cost is $26.99. NC resident cost is $28.69. Images of America, Mocksville by Debra Dotson and Jane
McAllister. Book 2 features photographs in Mocksville and a few other Davie communities. The same ordering
information applies as listed for book one.
History of Davie County Schools, 318 pages, by Marie Benge Craig Roth has photos, locations, longitude/latitude, names
of students, and teachers. There is an 18 page index of 3,222 names. A chronology describe s the evolution of the school
system in Davie. Make check to Marie Roth for $40.26 for non -residents and $43 for NC resident. Order: 276 Park Ave.,
Mocksville NC
Davie County in World War One by Marie Benge Craig Roth has 670 biographies of Davie men and women who served,
photographs, old letters, description of military bases, and extensive index. 400 pages. Make check to Marie Roth for
$42.47 for non-residents and $45 for NC resident. Order: 276 Park Ave., Mocksville NC 27028 .
Davie County Veterans’ Memorial, by Marie Benge Craig Roth has lists of all war deaths and biographies and photos of
WW2, Korean, Vietnam, and Beirut Bombing deaths. Tom Ferebee’s 32 minute talk at the dedication in 1987 is
included. $31.23 for non-resident and $33 for NC resident. Order: 276 Park Ave., Mocksville NC 27028.
Cana Connections, 201 pages, by Betty Etchison West; Life in Cana in the Thirties and Forties and Special People with
Cana Connections. There are many biographies and photos of people and buildings. Order from Betty West, 3532 NC
Hwy. 801 North, Mocksville NC 27028. Make check to Betty West for $35, which includes tax and shipping.
NEW BOOK: Looking Back at Davie County II by Charles Crenshaw and Ron Smith. $45. Mail orders to Charles
Crenshaw, 421 Park Avenue, Mocksville NC 27028
DCHGS, 371 North Main Street, Mocksville NC 27028
Davie Dossier, April 2013 page 10
371 North Main Street
Mocksville NC 27028
Look at your mailing address label above. If you have a colored dot by your name, your membership is
about to be terminated because you haven’t paid your dues.
If you wish to continue receiving this newsletter, please send us your dues, including previous years for
which you owe. Deadline: May 31, 2013
For those of you who pay dues on time and regularly, we say thank you. We say a special thanks to
those who have Life Memberships !
MEMBERSHIP for a calendar year is still just $5.00/year. Life Membership is $100 per person.
We are 501(c)(3) and dues are tax deductible.
Below is a registration form for your use; checks, payable to the Society.
DAVIE COUNTY HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY (DCHGS)
Davie County Public Library, 371 Main Street
Mocksville, North Carolina 27028
NAME ________________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS _____________________________________________________________________
E-MAIL ADDRESS ______________________________________________________________
Send my copy by E-mail instead of paper; yes, no