Unique Census Record: This Census Enumerator Used A Stamp

John Yost, the 1870 U.S. census enumerator for Shawneetown, Gallatin County, Illinois employed a unique hack that perhaps made the task easier for him. In 1870 John was a thirty year old farmer with a wife and three children, including a six-month-old baby.¹ When he listed himself and his family on the census he made no marks in the columns signifying illiteracy, so he could read and write which would be useful for a census enumerator.

The 1870 census forms contained columns and spaces for each individuals’ sex and race. This is where Yost implemented a creative solution–he used stamps or pieces of type. He appeared to have a “F” and “M” for female and male answers. He had “B” and “W” letters for black and white individuals.² Yost made errors when recording Marion Jones and Adaline McHenry in Catharine Willson’s household (see Image): he listed them using the “W” stamp and then wrote “B” over the letter.³

It would be interesting to know why Yost chose to use stamps in these columns. I think I would have used an “I” to avoid writing out “Ills” in the birthplace column.

IMAGE: 1870 U.S. Census, Catharine Willson Household in Shawneetown, Illinois

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FEATURED IMAGE: 1870 U.S. census, Gallatin County, Illinois, population schedule, City of Shawneetown, page 18, dwelling 125, family 126, Catharine Willson [sic] household; imaged, “United States, Census, 1870,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6SHS-LG9).

1. 1870 U.S. census, Gallatin County, Illinois, population schedule, City of Shawneetown, page 16, dwelling 116, family 116, John Yost household; imaged, “United States, Census, 1870,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6SHS-LK5).
2. 1870 U.S. census, Gallatin Co., Ill., pop. sch., City of Shawneetown, p. 30, dwell. 216-221, Arci Bell-Nancy Finney households.
3. 1870 U.S. census, Gallatin Co., Ill., pop. sch., City of Shawneetown, p. 18, dwell. 125, fam. 126, Catharine Willson [sic] household.