I've come to my Census...is that tick mark Abel Fowler?

Images of the 1830 and 1840 census were sent to me by my new fourth cousin once removed. Kevin Bradford and I share a FOWLER ancestor – Abel and Lydia (FULLER).

Kevin said in his email: "No doubt you've got copies of the census of Abel Fowler, Sr. and Jr. but there are a couple of them that have interest.

1830 town of Onondaga.  All on the same page: Russell Gardner (his father, Rev. Solomon Gardner), Abel Fowler, Jr. and Silas Wood.

1840 town of Hastings.  Silas Wood.  Abel Fowler, Jr. is living in the household, but not listed as head because he had sold the farm to his son-in-law Silas at that point."

I was really taken by this email. I did have the censuses he sent, they were tucked away neatly in a notebook labeled "Fowler_1830" "Fowler_1840," and the same in my genealogy "Census" file on my computer under FOWLER. Until those two paragraphs of brief explanation, I would have never seen much more than the name of my 3x great grandfather's name – Abel Fowler and "tick marks." I wouldn't have any idea who the others listed on the pages were either until I had progressed in my research. As a matter of fact, I had gotten a bit further in my research, and I'm not ashamed (maybe a little) to admit I hadn't gone back to those censuses before now. I've come to my census now!

1830 CENSUS

1830 U S Census; Census Place: Onondaga, Onondaga, New York; Page: 182 / Contributed by Kevin Bradford <http://plantagenetdynasty.blogspot.com/>; boxes added by me.

Name: Abel Fowler (head / red outlined box)

Home in 1830 (City, County, State): Onondaga, Onondaga, New York 

Free White Persons - Males - of ten and under fifteen: 1 

Free White Persons - Males - of forty and under fifty: 1 

Free White Persons - Females - of twenty and under thirty: 1 

Free White Persons - Females - of fifty and under sixty: 1 

Free White Persons - Females - of 80 and under ninety: 1

Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 5

Purple outline: son-in-law Russell Gardner (=Rhoda Fowler - no children) and his father Rev. Solomon Gardner are on same page.

Red outline: son-in-law Silas Wood (=Mary/Polly - three children) on the same page next line.

From various accounts and family genealogies, Abel Fowler, Jr. is estimated to be born about 1776 in Exeter, Kent County, Rhode Island and died in 1847 at Bender's Corners, Hastings Center, Oswego County, New York. Abel married Lydia FULLER about 1797, White Creek, Washington County, New York. From her headstone showing she was 60 years old when she died in 1834, it is estimated she was born about 1774, Montague, Franklin County, Massachusetts. In 1830 she would have been 56 or the tick mark in the "fifty and under sixty" column.

By estimation, Abel would have been about 54 years old, he shouldn't be marked in the "forty and under fifty" column. My 2x great grandfather Luther born about 1815 is the one mark in the "ten and under fifteen" column. Rhoda is the one female age "twenty and under thirty." She didn't marry Russell GARDNER until after 1833. One mystery female... the tick mark in the "eighty and under ninety" column., I believe she is Lydia's mother Silence (Grandy) Fuller, who was widowed by 1830, and because Abel's mother Mary (Brownell) had passed in 1809.

1840 CENSUS

Year: 1840; Census Place: Hastings, Oswego, New York; Hastings, New York / Contributed by Kevin Bradford <http://plantagenetdynasty.blogspot.com/>; boxes added by me.

Silas Wood

Free White Male 15 & under 20: 1

Free White Male 40 & under 50: 1 

Free White Male 60 & under 70: 1

Free White Female under 5: 1

Free White Female 5 & under 10: 1

Free White Female 10 & under 15: 1

Free White Female 15 & under 20: 1

Free White Female 40 & under 50: 1

Total 8 persons counted

I wouldn't have thought Abel Fowler, Jr. was on this census either until Kevin said something. So knowing that Lydia had died six years before (1834); daughter Mary was married to Silas WOOD by then; a tick mark in the Males "60 & under 70" column and Abel being about 64 in 1840; all this combined surely indicates a strong possibility he is the one counted in that column. 

In addition, with one male and one female in the age columns "40 & under 50" (Silas & Mary, both born about 1800), and no female in the "60 & under 70" column, it gives more weight to the conclusion Abel (widower) is being counted. Kevin said Abel had sold the farm...so where would he have gone? With one of his daughters, I'm sure. It all adds up.


Now it is on to decipher the earlier censuses which should include more surprises! I'm anxious to get started.