Tamise Sutherland & the Early Censuses

Census Sunday
By Don Taylor

Introduction

Following families in the early census records is always tricky, and when a census’s locations change and a family’s status changes, finding families can make things even more difficult. Such is the case concerning Tamise (aka Tammy & Fanny[i]) Sutherland (also Southerland) and the 1800 and 1810 Census.

Tamise Sutherland

Tamise married Joel Cruff Taft in 1819[ii], and I’ve followed her in all of the census records until her death in 1864. Tammy’s father, Reuben, died in 1799 and her mother, Mary (Lewis), died in 1809. I searched at length for the Sutherlands in the 1810 census and could not find any candidates in Broome county.

I know I should have done it first, but I checked Wikipedia for the history of Broome county. It was there I learned that Broome County was split off from Tioga County in 1806.[iii] So, I would expect the family to show in the Tioga county census in 1800 and Broome County in 1810.

I also learned that the area that is now Lisle was first settled by whites around 1791; and that, in 1831, Lisle was divided into four, creating three new towns, Barker, Nanticoke, and Triangle[iv]. So seeing that Joel and Tamise (Sutherland) Taft lived in Lisle in 1830 and in Barker in 1840 doesn’t mean they moved.

1800 Census

With the 1800 boundaries in mind, searching for Fanny’s mother Mary was much easier. As the head of a household in Lisle, Tioga County, I found Mary Southerland, the second from the bottom on page 3 of 5 (Pages 244-245).  These are difficult sheets to read as there is an unnatural split of pages between the column for males under 26 and males over 45. The column, which should be “males under 45”, is virtually unreadable.

800 Census, New York, Tioga, Lisle – Mary Southerland (click image to see full screen)

After carefully reviewing the entry, I read:

1800 Census – Tioga County, New York, Pages 244 & 245

Head           Mary Southerland

• Males             <10                  2          Probably Phineas and Lot, ages 9 & 8.
• Males             10-16              1          Probably Josiah, Age 11.
• Males             16-26              1          Possibly David, age 15/16.
• Males             26-45
• Males             > 45
• Females           <10                  1          Tamise should be 4 years old.
• Females           10-16             2          Must be sisters Candice and Eliza ages 13
• Females           16-26             1          Must be Mary but she should be 29.
• Females           26-45
• Females           > 45

So, the children of Reuben and Mary (Lewis) Sutherland that I know about are accounted for. However, there are two children, Justus and Lewis, born in 1799 and 1800 respectively, who some researchers indicate are also the children of Reuben and Mary. They are not mentioned in the 1800 Census; however, I have not confirmed those two children in my research.

1810 Census

The 1810 Census is much more problematic. A review of that Census indicates that only Berkshire, Chenango, and Union townships appear to be enumerated in the 1810 Census for Broome County. The town of Lisle was formed from Union in 1801, so it should be listed in the 1810 Census; however, it is not. As such, I do not anticipate finding Tamise in the 1810 Census.

 Endnotes:

[i] In various records Tamise was reported as Tammy and Fanny. Likewise, her surname was reported sometimes as Sutherland and sometimes Southerland.

[ii] Family Group Record, Family Search, Joel Cruff Taft (K8BN-FDM) – See File: 20170512 Family K8BN-FDM.pdf. Marriage Place:  Triangle, Broome, New York, United States.

[iii] Tioga county split off of Montgomery in 1791, Montgomery county was the rename of Tryon county after the Revolutionary War and that Tryon county was split from Albany county in 1772.

[iv] Wikipedia, Wikipedia.org, Lisle, New York. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisle,_New_York.