I have come across the possible take on two Census pages for the Anderson family, 1850 and 1840 both of Henrico County, Virginia. The two pages of the identified 1850 Census are shown in Part 4.
The 1850 Census has the parents Gustavus Anderson at 35 years and Amelia Anderson at 33 or 35, depending on how I read it. Gustavus's occupation is entered as "Lawyer" and he has real estate valued at "$800". It should be taken into account that per family tales he, great-great-grandfather Gustavus Anderson was a free man.
According to the 1850 Census they have seven children listed of which the first two would be of concern when comparing to the 1840 Census; William H., 16 and Anne Eli, 12. The next daughter, Martha J. is listed as either 7 or 9 years, and all-things-being-equal would not appear on the earlier 1840 Census.
In the 1840 Census I found the head of household, Gustavus Anderson and the household includes a total of 10 Free Colored Persons, broken down as follows:
- 3 Males Under 10,
- 3 Males 10 & under 24,
- 1 Male 24 & under 36,
- 1 Female Under 10,
- 1 Female 24 & under 36,
- 1 Female 36 & under 55.
My assessment on the 1840 possibilities are:
1. Gustavus, Head of Household = 1 Male 24 & under 36. (He is listed at 35 years in the 1850 Census.)
2. Amelia, Wife = 1 Female 24 & under 36. (She is listed at 33 or 35 in the 1850 Census.)
3. William H., Son = 1 Male Under 10. (He is listed at 16 in the 1850 Census.)
4. Anne Eli, Daughter = 1 Female Under 10 (She is listed at 12 in the 1850 Census.)
This would account for 4 of the 10 occupants. The one Female entered in the 36 & under 55 column could be a parent or any other female relative or acquaintance. As she was listed as a Free Colored Person it would appear that there is a greater, but not definite, chance of her being somehow related to either Gustavus or Amelia. My concern would be the five other males all under 24 years of age; two Under 10 and three 10 & under 24. One iteration, as they are all enumerated as Free Colored Persons could be that they were possibly sons of Gustavus and Amelia. Under this scenario it could be deduced that Amelia may have had a son (or sons) when she was very young, at the extreme of 13 years. Is this possible? The answer is yes. And taking this thought forward, Amelia could have had a child, all sons, consecutively for three years, and further she would have had three more sons and a daughter from the ages of 16 through 24. The thought would be that she had had seven children by the time she was 25 years old. And this would translate that Gustavus and Amelia had at least 15 children. A large family, but a possibility; seven children by 1840, another six by 1850, and two more through 1861.
An alternative could be that the young males, all or some, at the most five could be relatives and/or friends of the family. The point of note is that they are all listed as Free Colored Persons. The other possibility is that a notation on the 1840 Census could be an error.
Based on the history of the times and the information as provided by the 1840 Census this positioned this household as one of a small percentage, which narrows the possibility that this may have been the family that I'm looking for.
And I've enclosed a Gustavus and Amelia Anderson Descendant Chart of them and their offspring accounted from 1850 forward.
Enjoy,
Jim
1. Gustavus, Head of Household = 1 Male 24 & under 36. (He is listed at 35 years in the 1850 Census.)
2. Amelia, Wife = 1 Female 24 & under 36. (She is listed at 33 or 35 in the 1850 Census.)
3. William H., Son = 1 Male Under 10. (He is listed at 16 in the 1850 Census.)
4. Anne Eli, Daughter = 1 Female Under 10 (She is listed at 12 in the 1850 Census.)
This would account for 4 of the 10 occupants. The one Female entered in the 36 & under 55 column could be a parent or any other female relative or acquaintance. As she was listed as a Free Colored Person it would appear that there is a greater, but not definite, chance of her being somehow related to either Gustavus or Amelia. My concern would be the five other males all under 24 years of age; two Under 10 and three 10 & under 24. One iteration, as they are all enumerated as Free Colored Persons could be that they were possibly sons of Gustavus and Amelia. Under this scenario it could be deduced that Amelia may have had a son (or sons) when she was very young, at the extreme of 13 years. Is this possible? The answer is yes. And taking this thought forward, Amelia could have had a child, all sons, consecutively for three years, and further she would have had three more sons and a daughter from the ages of 16 through 24. The thought would be that she had had seven children by the time she was 25 years old. And this would translate that Gustavus and Amelia had at least 15 children. A large family, but a possibility; seven children by 1840, another six by 1850, and two more through 1861.
An alternative could be that the young males, all or some, at the most five could be relatives and/or friends of the family. The point of note is that they are all listed as Free Colored Persons. The other possibility is that a notation on the 1840 Census could be an error.
Based on the history of the times and the information as provided by the 1840 Census this positioned this household as one of a small percentage, which narrows the possibility that this may have been the family that I'm looking for.
And I've enclosed a Gustavus and Amelia Anderson Descendant Chart of them and their offspring accounted from 1850 forward.
Enjoy,
Jim
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