Surname Study – Vinson – Halifax County, NC – Part 4

Surname Saturday
Howell/Vinson
By Don Taylor

During Part 3 of this study, I examined the Vinson family of Halifax County, North Carolina during the 1850 Census. This week I step back to the 1840 Census.

1840 Census

The 1840 Census contained the name of the head of the household, the location of the home in 1840, and the number of individuals in the household in various age groups. A search for Vinson in Halifax County, North Carolina yielded four Vinson families. Based upon my research of the 1850 through 1880 Censuses, I would expect to find the following individuals

• A household that includes Elizabeth Vinson (age 55) and would including 23-year-old John and 15-year-old Nancy.
• A household that included Robert Vinson (age between 10 and 16).
• A household that included Littleberry Vinson (age 24 or 25).

Burket Vinson

The Burket Vinson family consists of three males and two females. It is the only family that fits the Elizabeth Vinson family line.

• 1 Male 60 to 69         Burkett Vinson
• 1 Male 20 to 29         John Vinson (Age 23)
• 1 Male 15 to 19         <unknown>
• 1 Female 50 to 59     Elizabeth Vinson (age 55)
• 1 Female 15 thru 19 Nancy Vinson (age 15)

It is possible that Robert is that male from 15 to 19.

Peter Vinson

The Peter Vinson family consists of three males and two females.

• 1 Male 40 to 49         Assumed to be Peter Vinson
• 1 Male 10 to 14         Possibly Robert, age 10 to 16.
• 1 Male 5 to 9              unk
• 1 Female 30 to 39     Presumed to be Peter Vinson’s wife.
• 1 Female 5 to 9          unk

Laban Vinson

The Laban Vinson family consists of three males and four females

• 1 Male 70 to 79         Assumed to be Laban Vinson
• 1 Male 15 to 19         Possibly Robert, age 10 to 16.
• 1 Male 5 to 9
• 2 Females 50 to 59    1 is presumed to be Laban’s wife.
• 1 Female 15 to 19
• 1 Female 10 to 14

It is possible that Robert Vinson, Age 10 to 16, is the male shown above.

Robert Vinson

The Robert Vinson family consists of two males and two females.

• 1 Male 50 to 59         Assumed to be Robert Vinson
• 1 Male 20 to 29         Possibly 23 year old John
• 1 Female 50 to 59     Possibly 55 year-old Elizabeth
• 1 Female 15 to 19.    Possibly 15 year old Nancy

It is also possible that Littleberry, age 24 or 25 is the Male 20 to 29 identified in the Census.

Conclusion

None of the 1850 Census households can be traced with certainty as being one of the 1840 Census households. This is disappointing but not unexpected. With that decision, I feel confident I must find some other kinds of documents to determine the family units of the Vinson families of Halifax County, North Carolina. The 55-year-old Elizabeth could be the wife of Burkett or Robert.

I believe I have exhausted the Census records for now, so I must continue my study using alternate (non Census) records. The ultimate purpose of the census work for this study was to know enough about the families involved so that Birth, Marriage, and Death Records will have a context and make sense.

Vinson Families in Halifax County 1850 thru 1880.

• Elizabeth Vinson       (b. 1784-1785)
• John Vinson                (b. 1816-1817)
• + Lenora [Vinson]   (b. 1817-1818)
  • Virginia Vinson          (b. 1844-1846)
  • Elizabeth Vinson       (b. 1846-1847)
  • Susan Vinson             (b. 1847-1849)
• + Ellenor [Vinson]    (b. 1824-1825)
  • James W. Vinson        (b. 1851-1852)
  • Benjamin I. Vinson    (b. 1854-1855)
  • Joseph Burkhead Vinson       (b. 1857-1858)
  • Ellen B. Vinson           (B. 1860-1861)
• Nancy Vinson                       (b. 1824-1825)

•  Robert Vinson (b. 1824-1830)
• + Martha, [Vinson] (b. 1828-1829)
  • John H. Vinson           (b. 1850-1851)
  • Thomas L Vinson       (b. 1853-1854)
  • Albert L. Vinson         (b. 1855-1856)
  • Turner Vinson           (b. 1858-1859)
  • Laura E “Lizzie” Vinson (b. 1865-1866)

• Littleberry Vinson      (b. 1815-1816)
• + Fannie [Vinson]     (b. 1820-1821)
  • Laura Vinson (b. 1845-1846)
  • J. Robert Vinson (b. 1847-1848)
  • + L. N. Vinson (b. 1853-1854)
    • C.R. Vinson, (b. 1871-1872)
    • Fannie Vinson, (b. 1872-1873)
    • B. H. Vinson, (b. 1873-1874)
    • Emmett Vinson, (b. 1876-1877)
• + Elizabeth [Vinson]   (b. 1815-1816)
  • Littleberry Vinson (b. 1857-1858)
  • William Vinson (b. 1859)