Yours, Mine, and Ours - an 1850 blended family

Starting in 1850, the U. S. Census recorded the names of every person in each household. However, from 1850 to 1870 there was no indication of family relationships (i.e., wife, son, daughter, etc.). Therefore information about family makeup taken from these early census records cannot always be taken at face value.

Look at this example taken from the 1850 census of Long Creek, Carroll County, Arkansas. (Note: Elizabeth, is my 3d great-grandaunt, sister of my 3d great-grandmother, Margaret GOLDEN GRAHAM.)

•  John MAY, age 50 (abt 1800)
• Elizabeth MAY, age 25 (abt 1825)
• Catherine MAY, age 14 (abt 1836)
• John MAY, age 12 (abt 1838)
• Nancy MAY, age 9 (abt 1841)
• Houston MAY, age 7 (abt 1843)
• William MAY, age 3 (abt 1847)
• Martha J MAY, age 0 (abt 1850)

There are two adults and six children, all with the same last name and at first glance it appears to be a “normal” family. But notice Elizabeth is 25 years younger than John, and Catherine is 11 years younger than Elizabeth. Two, of many possibilities, are:

John’s wife may have recently died (note Martha’s age) leaving him to care for the children. Elizabeth may be the oldest child and the next several children between her and Catherine (if any) have either died or married/moved away).

Or, John's first wife died several years ago and he married a much younger Elizabeth who bore some of the younger children.

There are any number of possibilities, however the correct one is:

John’s first wife (name unknown) had Catherine and John (and perhaps more children). His wife died sometime between 1838 and 1846, when John married Elizabeth. However, Elizabeth was the widow of William PHARRIS who died in 1844, leaving Elizabeth with two children: Nancy E PHARRIS, born 1841, and Doctor Houston, born 1843. John and Elizabeth were married in 1846 and had two more children, William in 1847 and Martha Jane in 1850.

If the census taker had correctly recorded the names, there would be no confusion. Chances are he asked for the children's names and assumed they were all John's children.

Moral of this story: Don't rush to create a family where there already are three.