Here we have Jesse Scott in the Alabama State Census of 1866. Let’s take a closer look.

Jesse Scott in the Alabama State Census of 1866.
His daughter-in-law Margaret Scott’s household was recorded below his entry.

As you can see in the image above, the Alabama census was just a row of numbers counting people by age group. I wondered if it was possible to cross-reference this census with other records to figure out who those numbers represented.

First, we must identify what the row of numbers mean, as follows:

  • Males under 10 years: 1
  • Males 10 to 20: 2
  • Males over 20: 2
  • No. of Males: 5
  • Females under 10 years: 3
  • Females 10 to 20: 2
  • Females over 20: 3
  • No. of Females: 8
  • Total of Township: 13

Next, cross-referencing against available records of Jesse Scott’s family, we come up with the following possibilities:

Males under 10 years: Grandson John William Thomas Scott, around three years old. He was the son of William Scott who died from typhoid fever during the Civil War. He and his two sisters were being raised by Jesse Scott.

Males 10 to 20: Sons James M. Scott, about 14, and Robert B. Scott, about 12.

Males over 20: Head of household Jesse M. Scott, about 56, and his son John Henry Scott, around 27.

Females under 10 years: Daughter Senia Eviline Scott, about 8. Granddaughters Martha Jane Scott, around 7, and Mary Elizabeth Scott, around 4, children of the late William Scott.

Females 10 to 20: Daughters Eliza J. Scott, about 18, and Nancy Caroline Scott, about 16.

Females over 20: Daughters S. Elizabeth Scott, about 20, and Mary Ann Scott, about 24. Spouse Senia P. Scott, about 56.

Could not be placed:

Daughter M. J. Scott, only seen on the 1850 census. There’s no room for M. J. if we fit in every daughter confirmed alive in 1866, so she probably died prior to this census. That makes the range for her death between 1850-1866.

Daughter Sarah Frances Scott. She married Jesse F. Graham circa 1864, though no marriage record has been found. I haven’t yet found the Grahams on this census, though they were still living somewhere in Alabama as late as 1868.

Bibliography

“Alabama State Census, 1866,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V6PG-P9L : 6 February 2020), Jesse Scott, Calhoun, Alabama, United States; citing certificate , p. , Department of Archives and History, Montgomery; FHL microfilm .

“United States Census, 1850,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHP5-YRL : 4 April 2020), J M Scott, Benton county, Benton, Alabama, United States; citing family 297, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

“United States Census, 1860”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHDH-Y82 : 18 March 2020), Jessa M Scott, 1860.

“United States Census, 1870”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHV1-S5Q : 19 March 2020), Jesse Scoot, 1870.