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From: Drew Smith <>
Subject: Re: [APG] 1910 census help...
Date: Tue, 9 Jun 2009 15:05:20 -0400
References: <4A2D603E.8826.286F575@hhsh.earthlink.net><768D157CBAB94E2D89A120148004E5DB@GrandmasPC> <012e01c9e898$bdb07160$39115420$@net><COL117-DS8FB231D9EC03C1A5075D0AC440@phx.gbl> <0C62756088D84A7EB593EFBF1E0DF8D6@YOUR58BA15CF1B>
In-Reply-To: <0C62756088D84A7EB593EFBF1E0DF8D6@YOUR58BA15CF1B>


Richard,

You may be thinking of this article:

http://www.archives.gov/publications/microfilm-catalogs/census/1920/part-01.html

It includes the following text:

"The microfilm may also show code numbers or letters in some of the columns.
Clerks added these codes in red ink (which cannot be distinguished on the
microfilm) after the census, to be punched into the cards used to tabulate
the census results. The codes usually represent household composition,
occupation and class of worker, or simply marks made in the coding,
punching, or tabulating operations themselves and should be ignored."

Drew Smith

On Tue, Jun 9, 2009 at 12:34 PM, Richard A. Pence <
> wrote:

> I can't seem to locate it now - and ho one seems willing to believe it -
> but
> the National Archives has (had?) an article on line which specifically says
> DO NOT PAY ATTENTION to extraneous marks on census images. These are marks
> made by generations of clerks who are doing various bits of counting. They
> were not made by the enumerators and therefore have no relevance to any
> research being done for genealogy. NARA specifically says, "Ignore them."
>
> Perhaps someone can find the link to this article and then we won't have to
> deal with this issue every few weeks (we did the same thing in the latter
> part of may with respect to markings made on the images in a Georgia
> County.)
>
> On the other hand, it is always amusing to watch as folks dream up
> important
> meanings for these usually random and mostly meaningless scratching!
>
> Richard P.
> Fairfax, Virginia
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Melissa Barker" <>
> To: <>; <>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 11:53 AM
> Subject: Re: [APG] 1910 census help...
>
>
> > Kate and Elizabeth,
> >
> > I have been following this thread with much interest. Over the years I
> > have
> > come to understand that the odd and various markings on census records
> > were
> > made by clerks, enumerators, etc. However, with the information
> Elizabeth
> > just gave, a thought comes to mind.
> >
> > Has anyone done a study about these markings and published the findings?
> > If
> > these markings translated into "patters of migration, education, home
> > ownership, infirmities, etc." as Elizabeth suggests, wouldn't that be
> > something interesting and maybe even pertinent to our research? Although
> > they may not translate into specific information pertaining to our
> > specific
> > ancestors, I can still the usefulness of the information in general
> > genealogy study.
> >
> > Does anyone know of any publications available on this specific subject?
> > If
> > not, I think such a publication would be a great asset to the genealogy
> > community, hint, hint Elizabeth :)
> >
> > Sincerely,
> > Melissa Barker
> > Genealogist for Tennessee and Kentucky
> > My Website: www.freewebs.com/genealogyservices/
> >
> > --------------------------------------------------
> > From: <>
> > Sent: Monday, June 08, 2009 7:25 PM
> > To: <>
> > Subject: Re: [APG] 1910 census help...
> >
> >> Kate, you're looking at annotations added by clerks at the Census Bureau
> >> in
> >> prep for statistical computations. Many pieces of data on the census
> line
> >> were coded with numbers that represented a certain "fact." The numbers
> >> were
> >> then transferred to punch-cards for statistical sorting. The results
> were
> >> then used in the statistical compendium for that census, which defined
> >> patterns of migration, education, home ownership, infirmities, etc.
> >>
> >>
> >> Elizabeth
> >>
> >> ----------------------------------------------------------
> >> Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG
> >> APG member, Tennessee
>

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