MySource:Rharrison/1850 US Federal Census - Mortality Schedules

About U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880

Part of the U.S. Federal Censuses from 1850-1880 included a mortality schedule enumerating the individuals who had died in the previous year. Because each of the censuses from 1850-1880 began on June 1, “previous year” refers to the 12 months preceding June 1, or June 1 (of the previous year) to May 31 (of the census year).

This database contains an index to individuals enumerated in these mortality schedules. In addition, each individual is linked to the census image on which they appear. Not all information that is recorded on the actual census is included in the index. Therefore, it is important that you view the image on which your ancestor is recorded to obtain all possible information about him/her.

In addition to the Federal Mortality Schedules, this database also includes Mortality Schedules from two State Censuses – Colorado and Florida – from 1885.

Questions asked in the mortality schedules:

1. Deceased's name
2. Sex
3. Age
4. Color (White, black, mulatto)
5. Whether widowed
6. Place of birth (state, territory, or country)
7. Month in which the death occurred
8. Profession, occupation, or trade
9. Disease or cause of death
10. Number of days ill
11. Parents' birthplaces (added in 1870)
12. Place where disease was contracted and how long the deceased was a resident of the area (added in 1880)

Why mortality schedules are useful:

Mortality schedules are essentially nationwide, state-by-state death registers that predate the recording of vital statistics in most states. While deaths are under-reported, the mortality schedules remain an invaluable source of information.

Mortality schedules are useful for tracing and documenting genetic symptoms and diseases and verifying and documenting Africa American, Chinese, and Native American ancestry, although African Americans are often included, especially if they were slaves.

By using these schedules to document death dates and family members, it is possible to follow up with focused searches in obituaries, mortuary records, cemeteries, and probate records. They can also provide clues to migration points and supplement information in population schedules.

Some of the above information taken from Loretto Dennis Szucs, "Research in Census Records" In The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, ed. Loretto Dennis Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1997). Which states are included?

The following table shows for which states and years mortality schedules exist. Those in bold are ones that Ancestry.com has or will soon post online. The remaining states will be posted as Ancestry.com can acquire the data.

1850 1860 1870 1880 Alabama Alabama Alabama Alabama

	Arizona (in part as part

of New Mexico Territory) Arizona (Territory) Arizona (Territory) Arkansas Arkansas Arkansas Arkansas California California California California

	 	Colorado (Territory)	Colorado

Connecticut Connecticut Connecticut Connecticut Delaware Delaware Delaware Delaware District of Columbia District of Columbia District of Columbia District of Columbia Florida Florida Florida Florida Georgia Georgia Georgia Georgia

	 	Idaho (Territory)	Idaho (Territory)

Illinois Illinois Illinois Illinois Indiana Indiana Indiana Indiana Iowa Iowa Iowa Iowa

	Kansas (Territory)	Kansas	Kansas

Kentucky Kentucky Kentucky Kentucky Louisiana Louisiana Louisiana Louisiana Maine Maine Maine Maine Maryland Maryland Maryland Maryland Massachusetts Massachusetts Massachusetts Massachusetts Michigan Michigan Michigan Michigan Minnesota (Territory) Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota Mississippi Mississippi Mississippi Mississippi Missouri Missouri Missouri Missouri

	 	Montana (Territory)	Montana (Territory)
	Nebraska (Territory)	Nebraska	Nebraska

Nevada (as part of Utah Territory) Nevada as part of Utah Territory) Nevada Nevada New Hampshire New Hampshire New Hampshire New Hampshire New Jersey New Jersey New Jersey New Jersey New Mexico (Territory) New Mexico (Territory) New Mexico (Territory) New York New York New York New York North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina

	North Dakota	North Dakota	North Dakota

Ohio (counties H-W only) Ohio Ohio (Seneca County only) Ohio (Adams to Geaugan counties only) Oregon (Territory) Oregon Oregon Oregon Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Rhode Island Rhode Island Rhode Island Rhode Island South Carolina South Carolina South Carolina South Carolina

	South Dakota	South Dakota	South Dakota

Tennessee Tennessee Tennessee Texas Texas Texas Texas Utah (Territory) Utah (Territory) Utah (Territory) Utah (Territory) Vermont Vermont Vermont Vermont Virginia Virginia Virginia Virginia Washington (as part of Oregon Territory) Washington (Territory) Washington (Territory) Washington (Territory) West Virginia (as part of Virginia) West Virginia (as part of Virginia) West Virginia West Virginia Wisconsin Wisconsin Wisconsin Wisconsin

	 	Wyoming (Territory)	Wyoming (Territory)