| Evolution of the Census | The Census as Historical Source | The Aggregated Censuses |
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Census enumerators collected data on slaves and slaveowners in the manuscript schedule of the Census of Slave Inhabitants. This census schedule, however, is more accurately called the slaveowner census because while it offers only general information on slaves, it provides specific data on slaveowners. Most significantly, census takers only recorded the names of the slaveowners and not their slaves. Each page of the manuscript slaveowner census lists the name of a slaveowner and then provides data on each slave owned. All of the slaves owned by one person or family are assigned a number and then listed sequentially; that is, numbers have been substituted for names of slaves in the census. The manuscript census contains nine fields of data, six of which focus directly on the slaves: assigned number, age, sex, color (black or mulatto), whether the slave is a fugitive, and whether the slave is "deaf, dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic." Three of the fields provide information on the slaveowners: name, number of slaves manumitted, and number of slave houses owned. The manuscript census also notes the subdistrict or county (if not Augusta, in this case) in which the slaveowner resides and provides the name and place of residence of the slave's employer, if different from the slaveowner. Users will find searching the manuscript slaveowner census helpful in locating specific information about individual slaveowners and in discerning trends and patterns in slaveowning in the county. For those who wish to use the aggregate data on slaveholding in Augusta County, we suggest that they consult the Statistical Tables Compiled from the Census Records. History of the Slaveowner CensusCounting slaves, or even slaveowners, was a deeply charged political act in antebellum America. By 1850 the heated national debate over slavery infused the congressional debate over what information, if any, census-takers should collect on Southern chattels. The slave census was first conducted in 1820 when enumerators collected rudimentary information on bondsmen, such as age and sex. For the 1850 census, Northern representatives in Congress proposed that enumerators collect as much detailed information on slaves as they did on free persons. Southern congressmen staunchly opposed such revisions, and instead sought to limit inquiries on slaves so as to prevent the collection of data which would allow for comparisons between free and slave labor or between the quality of black and white life. Their fears of such investigations were justified, for, as New York congressman and slavery opponent William Seward explained, new census data would reveal "how rapid[ly]" blacks had "progress[ed]" living as slaves. To that end, Seward and his colleagues proposed that the 1850 questionnaire used by census-takers inquire into a slave's name, age, sex, color, and place of birth. It also sought information on the number of children borne by slave women. Southern congressmen revolted against such proposals, and they successfully offered amendments which removed from the forms questions regarding slaves' names, place of birth, and number of children born to slave women. As a result, the 1850 census only noted the age, sex, and color of each slave. The 1860 census followed suit. How to Search the Manuscript Slaveowner CensusTo begin searching the manuscript population census, go to the Slaveowner Search Page. This page offers the categories, or fields, from the manuscript slaveowner census which the user can search. Click in the box of the field you want to search, and then enter the words or numbers you want to find. You can search on as few or as many variables at one time as desired. You can also use the Tab or Return key to move from one field to the next. When ready to begin the search, click the Initiate Search button. The search engine will return a results page listing all the entries (individuals) which meet the criteria selected on the search page. Results are returned in pages of 50 records each; subsequent pages can be reached using the "next" and "previous" buttons on the bottom of the page. In addition to the selected fields, the results page displays data for all searchable fields, as well as some of the other fields on the census form--place of residence of the slaveowners (and employers), gender of slaves, and color of slaves. This data is provided in aggregated form for each owner/employer. A listing of individual records is available through the link of the owner's last name. Note that at the bottom of the results page is a link to statistical information for the records returned as well as for all records in the database. To begin a new search, use the Back button to return to the search page and click on the Clear button to reset the search form. For tips on searching, go to Tips for Searching Valley Databases. Explanation of FieldsNames followed by an asterisk (*) indicate that the name is not legible on the census form. Names followed by the pound symbol (#) indicate that a name was not recorded by the census enumerator. For a more detailed explanation of these symbols, see "Important Notations" below. Helpful HintsHere are some helpful hints for searching the manuscript slaveowner census:
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