One of the fun and fascinating things about family history is tracking where your ancestors lived. Within my family, we always think of the Wolford’s as being a clan from Topeka, but if you trace them back far enough, you find that they didn’t live that far from Youngstown. The 1850 U.S. Census shows several Wolford families living in Jefferson Township, Coshocton County, Ohio.
The 1850 Census was the first to list each member of the household. Previous census records only listed the heads of the household and the number of people living there. With the additional names, it’s much easier to track family lineage. The 1850 Census shows two Wolford families farming side by side. My 4th great grandfather Mathias Wolford and his family owned $500 worth of land while his brother Godfrey Wolford lived next door on a much larger plot, valued at $1000.
In 1850, Jefferson Township was becoming a very suitable place to live, as the newly built Walhonding Canal provided a link to the larger Ohio and Erie Canal and eventually, the Great Lakes. For farmers and 3rd generation Americans Mathias and Godfrey, the canal system would have provided a relatively inexpensive means of transporting goods to market and returning farming equipment to the homestead.
Relationship to me:
Mathias Wolford (1821 – 1876) and Godfrey Wolford (1812 – 1880)
father of and uncle of:
James Mathias Wolford (1846 – 1905)
father of:
Stanton M. Wolford (1864 – 1946)
father of:
Raymond Hudson Wolford (1909 – 1970)
father of:
Barbara Jean Wolford
mother of:
Rebecca Ann Witt
mother of:
Joseph Patrick Lowry
State: Ohio
County: Coshocton
Township: Jefferson Twp.
Enumeration District: 26
Enumerated by: T. Hutchinson, Asst. Marshal
Enumeration District: 26
Enumerated by: T. Hutchinson, Asst. Marshal
Dwelling No 16
Mathias Wolford, age 29, Male, Farmer, $500 (value of real estate), born in Ohio, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Eliza. ” , age 25, Female, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
James M. ” , age 3, Male, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Derinda ” , age 2, Female, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Francis M ” , age 2/12, Male, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Dwelling No 17
Godfery Wolford, age 37, Male, Farmer, $1000 (value of real estate), born in Ohio, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Susanna. ” , age 30, Female, born in Pennsylvania, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Eliza. ” , age 11, Female, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
William ” , age 10, Male, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Mathias ” , age 8, Male, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Mary ” , age 6, Female, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Wilson ” , age 3, Male, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Isaac ” , age 1, Male, born in Ohio, not married within the year, did not attend school within the year, not a person over 20 years of age who cannot read or write
Source:
Mathias Wolford household, 1850 U.S. census, Coshocton County, Ohio, population schedule, Jefferson township, page 327, dwelling 16, family 16; National Archives micropublication M432_670. Ancestry.com; Page: 164A; Image: 333. Link. Accessed 13 Jun 2013.
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