WITH GOOD INTENTIONS
UNITED STATES CENSUS OF 1880, 1900, 1910
OF
BROOKING TOWNSHIP
JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
BY
ROBERTA LEINWEBER BONNEWITZ
2001
INTRODUCTIONDecember, 1966 was an important time in the Bonnewitz household. With my typewriter, many bottles of correction fluid and tape, 230 pages of stencils had been prepared for my book, IN BROOKING TOWNSHIP. My husband, Arthur, had hand inked the rotary drum of our hand turned home duplicator. Thirty copies were stacked, ready for assembly and stapling. This was our proud day.
For several years I had searched local archives, libraries, held interviews for this book. Its contents were:
In Brooking Township 1- 7
Pioneer Days 8- 14
Santa Fe Trail 15- 23
Stories of the Santa Fe Trail 24- 26
Raytown 27- 35
Early Churches 36- 60
Schools-Old and New 61- 86
Events 87- 94
1850 Census 104- 107
Civil War Stories 111- 114
Maps 137- 165
Family Histories 166- 218
Index to Land Owners 219- 226
My quest for the history of my community, Brooking Township, has continued for forty years and the earlier material is often used. Had the computer been invented at that time my task would have been simplier. Many reords are now published and available. I continue to appreciate the research of other persons and organizations in the preservation of Jackson County, Missouri history.
While compiling the 1880, 1900, 1910 cenus I have added items from my book, Brooking Cemetery, 53rd and Ash, Kansas City-Raytown, Missouri, Burials 1842-1988, because many of those persons mentioned in the census records are buried there and this added supportive information. Material from other cemetery records, marriage records, personal interviews, and local history history books were included. Local families have given me copies of their family histories which will be in the section, “Family Histories.”
For forty years the publications of others, in my community, have been the source of my research. In the beginning every date and word was believed. Then suspicion set in after I, too, had been trying to interpret hand written records or copying other’s research. A realization was made. Every person, “with good intentions,” had endeavored to read those records to the best of his ability and published them to make them available to the public. Others copied these and on and on it goes. All researchers do not read all letters and numbers as others may read them
Although some historians will say that researchers “read” as they want records to read, why would we deliberately want to change cemetery readings, marriage dates, personal interviews ? HOWEVER, my book, Brooking Cemetery, might be an example of how records may become true or untrue. Try, on a windy day, to walk through a cemetery, trying to keep a sheet of paper flat while you write with the other hand, and read 3,356 inscriptions from weatherworn headstones. There would never be enough time to make rubbings to determine whether the numeral “8″ is 8, 3, 5, or 6. You visit 3,064 burials and record them “with good intentions.” Did I make mistakes? I image I did but I tried and published something that had not been done before for you to use.
So it was with the census enumerators, probably traveling by horseback or in a buggy, traveling over dusty or muddy roads, searching for families to record. Persons of good repute argue with me that you can find your ancestors neighbors because the enumerator drove down the road and wrote them one after the other. Do you suppose he sat there waiting for them to come home, if they were absent, before he went next door?
You will notice that on the 1880 and 1900 census these questions were asked: Can you rean and write? What language do you speak? Are there disabled, deaf and dumb, etc. persons in your family? How many months have you attended school? You may also see that many 9 and 10 year old boys were listed as farm laborers.
Imagine! The enumerator is at your door. Will you give me the birth dates of your eight children? Your children have been given fancy names. They sound elegant but how do you spell them? You came from the country of Belgium. The enumerator does not seem to understand how you spell your name much less how you pronounce it. All cooperate “with good intentions.” You will find throughout the three census records different spellings of names and birth dates.
You may never find the exact dates but you may find interesting facts unknown to you before this time. So “with good intentions”, I hope you have found something.
MY APPRECIATION
FOR
PAST AND PRESENT RESEARCHERSMrs. John Vineyard- Marriage Records, Volumes I and II, 1827-1965, and land reords
Hattie E. Poppino- Jackson County, Missouri, Census Records of 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860 and 1879, (I cherish the 5252 pages of the original typewritten copy of the 1870 census I purchased from her.)
Kansas City Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Kansas City, MO, Lowell Press (1934) Vital Historical Records, Jackson County, Missouri, 1826-1876. These ladies widely searched to give us valuable church and cemetery records.
Joanne Chiles Eakin is a prolific publisher. She has books on any subject you might need.
Ethylene Ballard Thruston, Echoes of the Past, A Nostalgic Look at Early Raytown and Jackson County, Kansas City, MO., Lowell Press (1973) local people and events.
Birdsall, Williams & Co., History of Jackson County, MO. Kansas City, MO, Union Press (1881)
W. Z. Hickman. History of Jackson County, MO. Historical Publishing Co, Topeka-Cleveland (1920) reprint Greenville, S. Carolina, Southern Historical Press Inc.(1920)
Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago (1896) A Memorial and Biographical Record of Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri A rare book in the Mid-Continent Library
UNITED STATES CENSUS OF 1880Microfilm Volume 17, Missouri, Jackson County, Rural, Brooking Township
Supervisor Dist. No. 1 Enumeration Dist. No. 37 W. H. Noland
A. Census Year begins June 1, 1879 and ends May 31, 1880.
B. All persons will be included in the enumeration who are living on the 1st day of June 1880. No others will. Children BORN since June 1st will be omitted. Members of families who DIED SINCE June 1, 1880 will be included.
(Ledger sheets are wide and in columns as listed)
1-DWELLING NO.
2- FAMILY NO.
3- NAME
4- COLOR: white (w), black (b), mullato (mu), Chinese (C), Indian (I)
5- SEX
6- AGE , age prior to census, months in fractions 7- if born within census year, give month
8- RELATIONSHIP to head of household
CIVIL CONDITION: 9- single (s) 10-married (m) 11- widowed (wd)/ divorced (d)
12- married during this year
OCCUPATION: 13- profession, occupation, trade, male or female
14- months unemployed
HEALTH: 15- disabled 16-blind 17- deaf and dumb 18- idiot
19- insane 20- maimed, crippled, bedridden, disabled
EDUCATION: 21- attended school census year 22- cannot read
23- cannot write
NATIVITY- 24- person’s place of birth 25- father’s place of birth
26- mother’s place of birth
Example: (most of the population was white so it may not be given as to color.There were a small number of black persons living here and they are noted black or b.)
116-122 Buckles, William-m-farmer-55-TN TN TN; Margaret-f-wf-49 TN SC TN; Henry-m-son-engineer-22-TN; Louisa-f-dau-20-MO; William-m-son-farming-17; John-m-son-farming-15; Maggie-f-dau-school-13; Elvira-f-dau-10-school last ch b in MO
Reading: 116 number of dwelling; 122 number of the family; William Buckles, head of the family, male, 55 years of age, he was born in Tennessee, father born in Tennessee, mother born in Tennessee. Margaret, female, wife in relationship, 49 years of age, born in Tennessee, her father born in South Carolina, mother born in Tennessee. Henry, male, his son, engineer by profession, age 22 years, born in Tennessee. Louisa, female, his daughter, age 20, born in Missouri. William, a male, his son, engaged in farming, age 17 years. John, a male, his son, engaged in farming, age 15. Maggie, a female, his daughter, attends school, age 13. Elvira, a female, his daughter, attends school, age 13. All of the children after, Henry, were born in the state of Missouri.
A good way to find approximate time when family came to Missouri: Henry, 22, born in TN (about 1858)….Louisa, 20, born in MO (about 1860) so somewhere between 1858 and 1860. If property was bought a more definite time would be found.
TWELFTH CENSUS OF THE UNITED STATESMicrofilm Roll T 623 – 860 Missouri, Jackson County, Brooking Township
Supervisor’s District No. 5 Enumeration District No. 9 John C. Best
June 1 to June 22, 1900
LOCATION: 1- Number of Dwelling 2- Number of Family
NAME: 3- Name of each person whose place of abode on June 1, 1900,
was in this family. Omit children BORN since June 1, 1900
RELATIONSHIP: 4- relationship to head of family
PERSONAL DESCRIPTION: 5- color of race 6- sex
7- date of birth; month and year 8- age on last birthday
9- whether single (s), married (m), widowed (wd)
10- number of years married (y)
11- mother of how many children (ch) 12- number of children now living (L)
NATIVITY: 13- place of person’s birth 14- place of father’s birth
15- place of mother’s birth
CITIZENSHIP: 16- year of immigration to US 17- Number of years in US
18- naturalization
OCCUPATION, occupation, trade or profession, each person ten years and over
20- months not employed 21-attended school
OWNERSHIP OF HOME:
25- Ownership (O) or rented (R)
26- Owned free (OF) or mortgaged (M)
28- Number on farm schedule
Example:
38-38 Ballard, B.F.-farmer-R-F37 April 1828-72-m49-KY VA KY; S.E.-wf-Jan 1833-67-m49-9ch-9L-KY KY KY; Lucy C-dau-27-Jan 1873-27-s-IL; Nall, Eugene-servant Dec 1872-27-s-MO KY KY; Coons, Eugene-servant-Oct 1884-15-s-MO MO KY
Brooking Cemetery: Ballard, Sarah E January 24, 1833-June 3, 1918
Ballard, Benjamin F April 30, 1828-February 14, 1906
Reading:
38 No. Dwelling, 38 No. of family, B.F. Ballard, head of the house, a farmer by occupation, rents farm 37 on farm schedule, born in the month of April in the year of 1828, married for 49 years, he was born in Kentucky, his father born in Virginia, his mother born in Kentucky. S.E., is his wife, born in the month of January in the year of 1833, 67 years of age, married 49 years, mother of 9 children and 9 of them are still living, she was born in Kentucky, her father and mother were born in Kentucky. Lucy C, daughter, 27 years of age, born in January in the year of 1873, was born in Illinois, an is a single person.
Eugene Nall, is a servant in the Ballard household, born in the month of December in the year of 1872, is 27 years of age, and is single.
Eugene Coons, is a servant in the Ballard household, born in October of the year 1884, 15 years of age, a single person, he was born in Missouri, his father born in Missouri, his mother born in Kentucky.
The item written in italics under the census record is from Brooking Cemetery, it gives a name to “S.E.”, she is Sarah E., it confirms she was born in January, 1833 and also gives her death date and burial site.
B. F. Ballard is identified as Benjamin F, confirms he was born in April of 1828 and a death date and burial site.
THIRTEENTH UNITED STATES CENSUS
Department of Commerce and LaborMicrofilm: Volume 49 T 624 789
1910 census Missouri, Jackson County, Brooking Township 198
Supervisor Dist. No. 5 Enumeration Dist. No. 14 William Rickey
April 15, 1910
LOCATION: 1-Number of Dwelling
2-Number of Family
NAME: 3-Name of each person whose place of abode on April 15, 1910 was in this family
Surname first, first name, middle initial
Every person living on April 15, 1910. Omit children BORN SINCE April 15, 1910
RELATION: 4- Relationship to head of family
PERSONAL DESCRIPTION:
5- sex
6- color of race, White (w), Black (b)
7- age
8- single (s), married (m), widowed (wd), divorced (D)
9- number of years of present marriage
Married one time (m1); married twice or more (m2)
10- Mother: number of children (ch), 11- now living (L)
NATIVITY: 12- place of birth of this person
13- place of birth of father of this person
14- place of birth of mother
CITIZENSHIP:
15- year of immigration to US
16- whether naturalized in states
17- whether able to speak English, or in what lanugage
OCCUPATION:
18- trade, profession, kind of work
19- nature of industry in which employed
20- whether employer, employee, working on own
21- If employee, working, or not working on April 15
22- number of weeks out of work
EDUCATION:
23- able to read
24- whether able to write
25- attended school year from September 1909
OWNERSHIP OF HOME:
26- R- rents home (RH), rents farm (RF)
Owns home (OH), owns farm (OF)
Mortgaged home (MH), mortgaeged farm (MF)
Number on farm schedule
From Roberta Bonnewitz: This census record was evidently written by pencil, it is very light and faded, difficult to read. Using the higher density of the library viewers caused the pages to be so white that they looked like blank pages. My small home viewer was used but whole pages could not be shown. I was disappointed that I was unable to match occupations and other information across the wide pages and not record them.
Again “with good intentions” the microfilm was reviewed several times and it is amazing how many different versions were found. If you are in doubt, it is best that you read the microfilm and use your version.
Example:
82-82 Hendrickson, Evan-m-m1 19y-MO IN IN; Nannie L-wf-32-MO IN MO; Emery-son-11-MO
Brooking Cemetery: Evan D Henrickson 1869-1944 Nannie L 1877-1964
Emery, son of E& Annie 1898-1913
Evan Hendrickson married Naomie Harris 1 April 1891
Reading and speculation: 82 Number of Dwelling, 82 Number of family, Evan Hendrickson, head of household, male, married one time for 19 years, he was born in the state of Missouri, both parents were born in Indiana. Nannie L. was his wife, age 32 (This particular entry does not state her child or children, which MIGHT read 3 children (3ch- 1 Living), Nannie was born in Missouri, her father born in Indiand, her mother born in Missouri. Emery, the son, age 11, was born in Missouri.
Speculation: The material added from the cemetery record seems to apply. The marriage record is the speculation- Nannie and Naomi are not the same. It has been found many brides used nicknames or in this case Nannie may have been used by the family daily.
ILLUSTRATED HISTORICAL ATLAS
OF
JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
PUBLISHED BY BRINK, MC DOUGAL & COMPANY,
PHILADELPHIA
1877
Western Portion of Brooking Township
Jackson County, Missouri
Brooking Township
Township 48, Ranges 32 & 33
Township 49, Ranges 32 & 33
ILLUSTRATED HISTORICAL ATLAS
OF
JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
PUBLISHED BY BRINK, MCDONOUGH & COMPANY,
PHILADELPHIA
1877
Eastern Portion of Brooking Township
Jackson County, Missouri
Township 48, Ranges 32 & 32
Township 49, Ranges 32 & 33
MAP OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
BY
JOHN P. EDWARDS,
COMPILER AND PUBLISHER,
QUINCY, ILLINOIS
1887
Western Portion of Brooking Township
Jackson County, Missouri
Township 48, Ranges 32 & 33
Township 49, Ranges 32 & 33
MAP OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
BY
JOHN P. EDWARDS
COMPILER AND PUBLISHER,
QUINCY, ILLINOIS
1887
Eastern Portion of Brooking Township
Jackson County, Missouri
Township 48, Ranges 32 & 33
Township 49, Ranges 32 & 33
PLAT BOOK OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
COMPILED
FROM COUNTY RECORDS, AND ACTUAL SURVEYS
PUBLISHED BY
THE NORTHWESTERN PUBLISHING COMPANY
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN
1904
Three pages:
Western, Central, Eastern portions
Brooking Township
Jackson County, Missouri
Township 48, Ranges 32 & 33
Township 49, Ranges 32 & 33
RAYTOWN, MISSOURI
TOWNSHIP 48, RANGE 32
1911
Western portion
RAYTOWN, MISSOURI
TOWNSHIP 48, RANGE 32
1911
Eastern PortionWestern part Eastern Brooking Brooking
Brooking Township Portion Township Township
1877 map 1877 Western P. Eastern P
1887 1887
Brooking Township Brooking Township Brooking Township
Western Portion Central Portion Eastern Portion
1904 1904 1904
Brooking Raytown, Missouri, 1911
Township
Raytown, Missouri, 1911
Eastern Portion
INTRODUCTON
BROOKING TOWNSHIP FAMILY HISTORIESTracing families’ histories becomes an addiction. Each new tid-bit urges the person to find more and more to fill in the unknown spaces.
Authors of early Jackson County, Missouri books sought a fee from the contributors to aid in the publishing of the book. In those days giving facts about births, marriages and deaths, experiences in the settlement of the county, going to California or Oregon seeking land or wealth, remembering the hardships of the War Between States and forgiving your neighbor, were given freely with pride and considered an honor.
Today, we are hesitant, suspicious, and uneasy to give these facts for fear it may cause us to lose our identity or used against us. For that reason, the author has left out some dates or locations as a possible safe guard.
The census records of 1880, 1900, 1910 cover a period of transition from agricultural pursuits of growing grain crops to later development of specialized farming, as , fruits and vegetables, dairy products, stock farms, poultry raising.
The village of Little Blue contained a post-office, a telegraph office, and a railroad station. It was difficult to read and spell the names of the railroad workers from Mexico.
This was an interesting project because the author was acquainted with some of the persons whose names are in these records.
The reader may find the orignal stories and sources in the following books:
Memorial 1896- A Memorial and Biographical Record of Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri, 1896, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago
1881 JCH- History of Jackson County, Missouri, 1881, Birsdall, Williams & Co., Union Historical Co., Kansas City, MO
1920 JCH- History of Jackson County, Missouri, W. Z. Hickman, Historical Publishing Co., Topeka, Cleveland….The Southern Press, Inc. 1990, Greenville, SC
Sources:
DAR – Vital Historical Records of Jackson, County, Missouri, 1876-1933-34, Daughters of the American Revolution, Lowell Press, Kansas City, MO
BR- Brooking Cemetery, 53rd and Ash, Kansas City-Raytown, Missouri, Burials 1842- 1988, Roberta Bonnewitz and Nancy Ferguson