New Philadelphia, Illinois 1850 Federal Census Data

Determining the inhabitants of New Philadelphia was challenging since the federal manuscript census of 1850 makes no mention of the town of Philadelphia or New Philadelphia; residents are recorded only as free inhabitants in Township Five S.(outh) Five W(est) in the County of Pike State of Illinois (U.S. Bureau of the Census 1850). Supported by land deed records, oral histories and the account of Juliet E. K. Walker, who wrote that Frank McWorter and his family did not live in New Philadelphia, but directly north of the town, the first manuscript census entry following the names of Frank, Lucy McWorter and their children were considered to be the beginning of New Philadelphias census (Walker 1983:109). Subsequent listings for individuals whose occupations were recorded as farmers were included as were a cabinet maker, a wheelwright, a Baptist preacher and two shoemakers who, according to Walker, formed the towns business hub (Walker 1983:131).

The names of Squire, Louisa McWorter and their family were also markers to determine the towns residents of 1850, since it is reported that Squire McWorter lived within the town (Walker 1983:131; Matteson 1964:19). Following his death in 1855, the names of Squire McWorters family are absent from the federal census roll of 1860 and the state census of 1865. However, census research located the family, along with Kaziah Clark, mother of Louisa McWorter, Squires wife, lived some 25 miles away in the area of Quincy, Illinois, in 1860. The census enumerator incorrectly recorded the name as McQuarter. Louisa McWorter, her mother Kaziah Clark, and other family members appear again on the 1870 and 1880 federal census rolls and are included as residents of New Philadelphia for those years (U.S. Bureau of the Census 1860).

The poor quality of census microfilms at both the National Archives and the Family Research Facility of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Saints also contributed to the difficulty of compiling not only an accurate account of New Philadelphia residents, but their characteristics. The penmanship of census enumerators was sometimes difficult to decipher and further complicated by the procedure followed by the census taker in recording statistics. For example, instructions required census enumerators to indicate race with a B for black and M for mulatto. For white individuals, the space was to remain blank. On the 1850 federal census, the race entry for Frank McWorter was correctly marked M. The quotation mark next to the names of Lucy, Sallie, Sarah, Francis, Solomon and Commodore seemed to be a ditto mark, since they, like Frank, were mulatto. However, the race column next to Frank and Lucys daughters, Lucy A., Pernelia were left blank, while the column next to son Commodores name has only a tick mark (www.ipums.umn.edu/usa/voliii/1st 1850.html). All of these issues had direct implications for the Bowman family who were listed on the census directly following the McWorters and considered to be residents of New Philadelphia (U.S. Bureau of the Census 1850).

Markings in the race column for the Bowman family on the 1850 federal census are confusing. The tick marks that appear in the race column for these individuals can be interpreted as a ditto, indicating the Bowmans, like the McWorters, were mulatto (U.S. Bureau of the Census 1860). However, a search for the Bowman family on subsequent census records seem to indicate that all the members of the Bowman family were white (U.S. Bureau of the Census, Pleasant Vale Township, Illinois 1860). Based on that information and the knowledge that subsequent entries for Kittle, Pawlin and Pottle (for whom a tick mark also appears in the race column) were white, the assumption in this analysis of New Philadelphias census data is that the Bowman family was white (Walker 1983:131-132).

Based on the preceding information, it was determined that 58 residents in 11 households called New Philadelphia home in 1850. The majority, 62% or 36 individuals, of New Philadelphias population was white; 38% of the towns residents, 22 individuals, were black or mulatto. The representation of black individuals was far above the state of Illinois, which reported only 0.6% black residents (U. S. Bureau of the Census 1850).

Most of New Philadelphias residents, 37% or 22 individuals, were born in the Great Lakes region of the country. Twenty-two percent of the townsfolk, 13 individuals, originated from the state of Illinois. The next highest representation came from the New England and the North Eastern regions, each with eleven, or 19% of New Philadelphias residents (U.S. Bureau of the Census 1850; 1990 Omni-Gazetteer of the U. S.)

In 1850, New Philadelphias residents were involved in a variety of occupations. The town boasted a Baptist preacher, one cabinetmaker, a laborer, a merchant, one wheelwright and two shoemakers. Eleven of the towns residents, or 20% of the population were employed outside the home. The majority, 36%, or 4 individuals, were farmers. No occupation was given for 47 individuals, or 81% of the population, which includes 28 children 15 years of age and under, or 48% of the population (U.S. Bureau of the Census 1850). The variety of occupations practiced by town residents may be inferred to confirm reports that farmers from nearby communities frequented the businesses of New Philadelphias tradesmen (Matteson 1964:19; Walker 1983:145).

Census data collected, formatted, and analyzed by Charlotte King; proofs by Claire Martin.

Source: United States Bureau of the Census, "Population Schedules of the Seventh Census of the United States, 1850, Illinois, Pike County," T4XR5W [Hadley Township].

* Source of abbreviation: Omni Gazetteer of the United States of America, 1990, Volumes 1-9.

Transcriptions of the instructions given to the enumerators are available online.