PROVO, Utah, April 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ancestry.com,
the world's largest online family history resource, today launched
online the Non-Population Census Schedules, 1850-1880 -- a
unique collection of agriculture, industry/manufacturers, and
social statistics that contain the names and details of more than 4
million people and businesses from the 1800s. No other collection
that outlines agriculture and industry statistics this extensively
is available online.
"The Non-Population Census Schedules capture one of the
most interesting slices of American history," said Gary Gibb, vice president of U.S. Content for
Ancestry.com. "The records offer insights into the humble
beginnings of our farming ancestors, which made up a sizeable group
of our early American ancestors, and those businesses that made
their start in 19th-century America."
The Non-Population Census Schedules lists include
Agricultural Schedules that detail total acreage of land, the value
of the farm, machinery and livestock, and amount of staples (wool,
cotton, grain, etc.) produced.
These schedules contain ancestors of some of the country's most
famous celebrities, including (original images
available):
- President Barack Obama –
The President's 3rd great grandfather, Jacob Dunham, is recorded in the 1880 Kansas
Agricultural Schedule as an owner of 60 acres of tilled improved
land valued at $1,200. He farmed
corn, oats, wheat, potatoes, tobacco, apples and peaches and owned
11 pigs, 2 cows, 2 mules, 1 horse and 20 chickens.
- Angelina Jolie – The
Oscar-winning actress' 2nd great grandfather, Louis Bertrand, is recorded in the 1880 Illinois
Agricultural Schedule to have owned 120 acres of tilled improved
land valued at $3,400. He owned 6
horses, 5 cows, 5 pigs plus 40 chickens that produced 160 dozen
eggs.
- Reese Witherspoon – The
Legally Blond actress' 3rd great grandmother, Mrs. E.D.
"Ellen" Witherspoon, is listed in the 1880 Texas Agricultural
Schedule as an owner of 100 acres of tilled improved land that was
valued at $800. The widow farmed 50
bushels of corn, 4 bales of cotton, and 500 bushels of wheat.
- Jennifer Garner – Second
great grandfather to the Alias actress, George Lancaster, was listed in the 1870 and
1880 Texas Agricultural Schedules, which from the two records note
the growth in his 33 acres of improved tilled land into 50 acres,
which was valued at $1,200 in 1880,
three times the increase from 1870. He farmed 4 acres of corn, 10
acres of cotton and 30 lbs of honey.
The Non-Populations Census Schedules also offers details
for many major businesses operating during the 1800s, illustrating
the impact of the Industrial Revolution.
These schedules contain some of the country's most famous
businesses that started in the 19th century, including (original
images available):
- Folgers coffee – Folgers was founded as The
Pioneer Steam Coffee and Spice Mills back in 1850 by 27-year-old
William H. Bovee. According to the
Industry/Manufacturer Schedule, in 1870 the company had 7 employees
and 120,000 pounds of ground coffee in its inventory. One of the
seven employees was James A. Folger,
who later in 1872, bought out the partners of the coffee company,
and renamed it J.A. Folger &
Co.
- Bausch & Lomb – Known for its optical healthcare
solutions since the early 1850s, Bausch & Lomb was founded by
two German immigrants, John Jacob
Bausch and Henry C. Lomb.
By 1880, the company had increased to 135 employees,
according to the Industry/Manufacturer Schedule. Today, 140 years
later, the company has 13,000 employees globally.
- Tiffany & Co. – According to the 1880
Industry/Manufacturer Schedule, the world's premier jeweler had
$100,000 in capital and $200,000 in product within their jewelry division
alone. Compared to the first day of business back in 1837, when
founder Charles Lewis Tiffany
brought in a mere $4.98, the company
made great progress in its first 40 years of operations.
- Harper's – James Harper
and his brother John started their publishing business, J. & J.
Harper, in 1817 and then changed its name to Harpers & Brothers
in 1833. By 1870, the business was using a total of 21,000 reams of
paper to print their 1.3 million books, 4.4 million weekly
magazines, 1.3 million monthly magazines and 3.4 million Harper
Bazaar magazines, according to the Industry/Manufacturer Schedule.
Today, the company prints around 8.5 million Harper Bazaar
magazines each year.
Other familiar businesses found in this collection include
Macy's, Colgate, Lord & Taylor and the Milton Bradley
Company.
The entire Non-Population Census Schedules, 1850-1880
collection, will be available on Ancestry.com to members and
through a 14-day free trial.
Ancestry.com is a partner with NBC on the new, hit television
series "Who Do You Think You Are?" and provided important family
history research for the show, including tracing the roots of the
seven celebrities featured.
For anyone interested in learning more about their family
history, visit www.ancestry.com.
About Ancestry.com
Ancestry.com Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOM) is the world's largest online
family history resource, with more than one million paying
subscribers. The company has digitized and put online more than 4
billion records over the past 13 years. Ancestry users have created
over 14 million family trees containing nearly 1.5 billion
profiles. Ancestry.com has local Web sites directed at nine
countries, including its flagship Web site at www.ancestry.com.
SOURCE Ancestry.com