Production Note
Cornell University Library produced this
volume to replace the irreparably
deteriorated original. It was scanned using
Xerox software and equipment at 600 dots per
inch resolution and compressed prior to
storage using CCITT Group 4 compression. The
digital data were used to create Cornell's
replacement volume on paper that meets the
ANSI Standard Z39.48-1984. The production of
this volume was supported in part by the New
York State Program for the Conservation and
Preservation of Library Research Materials
and the Xerox Corporation. Digital file
copyright by Cornell University Library 1993.INSTRUCTIONS
FOR TAKING THE
E N S U
OF THE
STATE OF M:\V-V0HK.
In the Year 1855;
ISSUED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE,
TO THE
OFFICERS CHARGED WITH THE DUTY
OF TAKING IT.
TOGETHER WITH THE
CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY PROVISIONS
CONCERNING THE SAME.
ALBANY:
WEED, PARSONS & CO., PRINTERS.
1855.INSTRUCTIONS
FOR TAKING THE
CENSUS
OF THE
STATE OF MW-YORK,
In the Year 1855;
ISSUED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE,
TO THE
OFFICERS CHARGED WITH THE DUTY
OF TAKING IT.
TOGETHER WITH THE
CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY PROVISIONS
CONCERNING THE SAME.
ALBANY:
WEED, PARSONS A CO, PRINTERS.
1855.
B* # * The instructions for taking the Seventh Census of the
United States, have been adopted in this, so far as the same
were considered applicable, with such variations and additions
as seemed requisite for the special inquiries contained in the
accompanying schedules.EXTRACT
From Article Third, of the Constitution of the State of New York.
“ $ 4. An enumeration of the inhabitants of the state shall be
taken, under the direction of the Legislature, in the year one
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, and at the end of every
tenth year thereafter; and the said districts* shall be so altered by
the Legislature, at the first session after the return of every enu-
meration, that each senate district shall contain, as nearly as may
be, an equal number of inhabitants, excluding aliens and persons
of color not taxed; and shall remain unaltered until the return of
another enumeration, and shall at all times consist of contiguous
territory; and no county shall be divided in the formation of a
senate district, except such county shall be equitably entitled to
two or more Senators.”
* Referring to the Senatorial Districts, described in the preceding section.CENSUS LAW OF 1855.
AN ACT in relation to the Census or enumeration
of the inhabitants of this State.
Passed March 12; Amended April 6, 1855.
The People of the State of New - York, represented in Senate
and Assembly, do enact as follows:
g 1. An enumeration of the inhabitants of this state shall be
taken during the present year eighteen hundred and fifty-five, and
during every tenth year hereafter.
g 2. The secretary ol state shall, as soon as may be after the
passage of this act, and also in every tenth year hereafter, cause
uniform blank returns and abstracts, together with copies of this
act, to be printed, for the purpose of taking such enumeration and
obtaining other statistical information.
g 3. The secretary of state shall, on or before the first day of
May next, and on or before the first day of May in every such
tenth year hereafter, transmit, in such manner as he may think
proper, to each of the county clerks, twice as many of such blank
returns and as many copies of this act as there are election districts
in their respective counties.
g 4. On or before the first Monday of May next, and on or before
the first Monday of May in every such tenth year hereafter, the
secretary of state shall appoint one or more marshals in and for
each town and ward in this state, as the case may be, and who
shall have been a resident of such ward or town at least one year
before such appointment, whose duty it shall be to enumerate the
inhabitants therein, and to perform the other duties prescribed by
this act. A certificate of such appointment, under the hand of the
secretary of state, shall be made, in which certificate the district
assigned to the person so appointed shall be described ; and such
certificate shall be delivered to the person appointed, and which
shall be evidence of the facts therein contained.
g 5. It shall be the duty of each county clerk, on or before the
fifteenth day of May next, and on or before the fifteenth day of
May in every such tenth year hereafter, to forward to the town
clerk of each of the towns in his county, and to the clerk of the
common council in each of the cities, a sufficient number of the
blank returns and copies of this act, so as aforesaid transmitted to
him by the secretary of state, to supply each marshal of such town
or city, on demand, with duplicate sets of said blank returns^ and
one copy of this act.
g 6. On the first Monday of June next, and on the first Monday
of June in every such tenth year hereafter, every such marshal
shall proceed to enumerate, truly and accurately, the inhabitants
residing in the ward, town or district for which he shall have b^en
appointed, by making actual inquiry at every dwelling-house, or of5
the head of every family residing therein, and to obtain the statis-
tical information required by this act, by such convenient means as
may be in his power.
§ 7. Each marshal shall enter in the blank feturn received, the
particulars of the enumeration so made, and of the statistical infor-
mation so obtained, in the manner and form prescribed by the
secretary of state.
§ 8. Every person whose usual place of abode shall be in any
family, on the first day of June next, and on the first day of June
in every such tenth year hereafter, shall be returned as of such
family: and every person casually absent at the time of taking
the enumeration, as belonging to that place in which he usually
resides.
§ 9. The returns so made out shall be certified, by each marshal
‘taking the enumeration, to be true and accurate j;o the best of his
knowledge and belief, and shall state the number of pages of which
it consists, which certificate shall be subscribed and sworn to by
him before any officer authorized to administer oaths, who shall
certify such attestation without charging any fee therefor.
§ 10. Each marshal shall, on or before the first day of July next,
and on or before the first day of July in every such tenth year
hereafter, cause the returns so certified, with a duplicate copy
thereof carefully made and compared, and certified in the manner
above specially provided, to be delivered to the county clerk of the
county in which such marshal reside. ,
$ 11. Each county clerk shall immediately after receiving such
certified statements of the enumeration, and other statistical infor-
mation, and the duplicate copies of the same from the marshals in
the several towns or districts of his county, transmit to the secretary
of state at Albany, by express, all the duplicate returns filed in his
office, carefully boxed in such a manner as to protect them ; and
if any marshal shall neglect for five days after the first of July to
make his return as aforesaid, the clerk of the county in which he
shall reside, shall immediately proceed himself or dispatch a mes-
senger to procure such return and duplicate, and the expense
thereof shall be deducted from the account of such marshal, by the
board of supervisors of. the county in which he may reside, if they
shall think proper.
§ 12. The secretary of state, after receiving such duplicate
returns, shall prepare and report to the legislature a general ac-
count of the enumeration, specifying the result thereof in the several
towns, wards, cities and counties of the state, with a full recapitu-
lation of the whole.
g 13. The accounts for the services of the marshals and county
clerks, done under this act, shall be audited by the supervisors of
the county where the services.are performed, except in the city and
county of New-York, where it shall be done by the common council;
and shall be assessed, collected and paid as part of the contingent
expenses of such city or county.
[ Act of April 6,1855, $ 3. Each marshal shall receive for his
services, rendered under and by virtue of the act hereby amended,6
the sum of two dollars, and no more, for each day he is actually
and necessarily employed; to be audited and allowed by the board
of supervisors in the county where he shall reside.]
3 14. In case of the inability or neglect of any marshal appointed
under or by virtue of this act to perform his duties, the Secretary
of State shall have full power, and, it shall be his duty forthwith,
to appoint another marshal in his stead.
. g 15. Any person being the head of a family or member
thereof, above the age of twenty-one years, who shall refuse to
give to any marshal the information required by him, relative to
any of the particulars which such marshal is required to state in
his returns concerning such family or person, or who shall wilfully
give false information to such marshal concerning the same, shall
forfeit and pay a penalty of fifty dollars, to be sued for and recov-
ered, with costs of suit, by and in the name of the supervisor of
their respective towns, and shall be paid over to the town superin-
tendent, for the benefit of the common schools of such town; except
in the city of New York, such suit and recovery shall be in the
name of the mayor, aldermen and commonalty of the said city, and
such penalty shall be paid over to the board of education for the
benefit of common schools in said city.
3 16. It shall be the duty of the secretary of state to appoint
suitable persons to take the enumeration of the Indians residing on
the several reservations in this state, who shall, in respect to such
reservations, perform all the duties of marshal by this act, and shall
also return the number of acres of land cultivated by such Indians,
and such other statistics as it may be in their power to collect, and
as the secretary of state, in his instructions shall prescribe; for
which service they shall be paid out of the treasury, upon the
warrant of the comptroller, such suitable compensation, not exceed-
ing two dollars per day, as the secretary shall certify to be just.
All expenses incurred by the secretary of state in executing this
act, shall be paid by the treasurer upon the warrant issued by the
comptroller.
3 17. It shall be the duty of each county clerk in this state, on
or before the first day of January next, and the first day of January
following such tenth year, to cause all the original returns filed in
his office by the respective marshals to be properly arranged by
towns or wards and well bound up in one or more volumes, and
carefully preserved among the records of his office ; and if it has
not already been done he shall cause the returns of the United
States census of eighteen hundred and fifty to be bound and pre-
served in like manner, and also the returns of any future census
which the United States may hereafter take.
3 IS. The third chapter of the fifth title of the first part of the
Revised Statutes, entitled “ of the census or enumeration of the
inhabitants of the state,” and also chapter two hundred and thirty-
nine of the Laws of eighteen hundred and fifty-four, entitled “ An
act to amend an act relative in the census or enumeration of the
inhabitants of this state, passed May 7,1845,” are hereby repealed.
3 19. This act shall take effect immediately.INSTRUCTIONS.
0tate of Nero-fjork,
Secretary’s Office.
Albany, May 1, 1855.
Uniformity is an indispensable requisite in every enu-
meration of the population and products of industry of a
country, to secure which, the attention of the officers
charged with the execution of the law, requiring a census
of the State of New York to be taken in the year 1855, is
directed to the following instructions:
TO COUNTY CLERKS.
County clerks, will receive by mail, a copy of these
instructions; and by express, a supply of blank schedules,
and of these instructions for distribution among the several
towns and cities within his county.
In apportioning the blanks among the several counties,
the population of each has been presumed to increase in
the same ratio since 1850, as it did during the five years
previous to that year, to which twenty per cent has been
added for contingencies. Should the county clerks dis-
cover that there will be, from any cause, a deficiency of any
of the blanks, they should forthwith make application to
the office of the Secretary of State for a sufficient quantity
to supply the several marshals with a duplicate set.8
The blanks should be apportioned among the several
towns and wards, according to their relative population in
1850, unless it is known that there is a decided increase or
diminution from the relative number of inhabitants in any
particular section, in which case the clerks, will use their
own discretion in equalizing the distribution according to
the respective wants of each.
At the earliest possible moment the supply belonging to
each of the towns, should be forwarded to the several town
clerks, and the share due to cities to the clerks of the com-
mon council for delivery, upon application, to the marshals
appointed for the purpose of taking the census in and for
the several cities of the state.
As 180 names can be written on one sheet of the sched-
ules of population, and as a duplicate set of these is to be
filled out by the marshals, there will be required about
twelve sheets of this blank to every thousand inhabitants;
but as losses, errors, and parts of pages must occur, the
number of blanks distributed will somewhat exceed this
number. The excess of these should be distributed in the
same proportion as the others.
The schedules number II., III., IV., V. and VI. should
be distributed in like manner. In towns extensively en-
gaged in manufacturing, a larger proportion of schedule
No. III. will be required; but this being under the more
immediate knowledge of the county clerks, than of this
department, they must exercise a proper discretion in the
distribution.
The clerks will find it convenient to keep a memoran-
dum of the date when the blanks are sent to the several
town clerks, and the person by whom they were sent, and
to take receipts upon their delivery.
Upon completing their duties the marshals will forward
two sets of their returns directly to the county clerks, which
the latter should carefully examine and separate, laying aside
the copy for this office, and retaining the original for pre-9
servation with the comity records. As soon as the returns
from the several marshals are received, those intended for
this office should be carefully boxed up and forwarded by
express to the Secretary of State.
If the marshals do not send in their returns within five
days after the first day of July, it is the duty of the county
clerk to go or send a messenger to procure them, at the ex-
pense of the marshals.
As the law requires that all of the summaries and the
labor of preparation for publication shall be done in this
office, and as the legislature will require the information
therein contained, to be laid before them at the beginning
of their next session, it is highly important that no time
should be lost in receiving and transmitting the returns.
Section 17th, of the act under which this census is taken,
requires the set of returns retained by the counties, as
well as that of the census of 1850, to be bound for preser-
vation. As this provision of the law is imperative, the
county clerks should at once cause these documents to be
arranged, and bound in a convenient number of volumes,
the expense of which must be audited and paid by the
boards of supervisors in the several counties. Should there
be any analysis, of the schedules left in the clerks’ offices,
voluntarily undertaken and published, as a matter of local
information; the clerks will confer a favor by sending copies
to this office. Such summaries would not supersede, al-
though they might anticipate, the publication of the state
census, and perhaps might embrace combinations of the
facts different from those which will be contained in the
latter.
The marshals will each receive by mail, a copy of these
instructions, and a sufficient number will be forwarded to
county clerks, to supply each town clerk and clerk of the
common council of cities with one copy, which should be
distributed with the blanks.10
To Clerks of Towns, and of Common Coun-
cils of Cities.
It is made the duty of the town clerks, and the clerks
of the common council of cities, to receive from the office
of the county clerk, the blanks for the marshal or mar-
shals appointed for taking the census of town and cities,
and to deliver them to the latter, whose duty it will be to
apply for the same. Where more than one marshal is ap-
pointed in a town or ward, the clerk should divide the blanks
between them, as nearly proportioned to the population in
the several election districts, as possible. The intimate
knowledge which these clerks are presumed to have of the
relative population and wants of their several election dis-
tricts, led to their being designated as proper persons to
receive and subdivide the blanks. As a general rule, there
will be one marshal appointed to each election district;
but in some cases, where the whole population does not
exceed three thousand, one person only will be appointed
in the town. In all such cases the commissions of the mar-
shals will specify the fact, and be sufficient authority to the
clerk for delivering over, upon application, the whole
amount of blanks received for such districts.
TO MARSHALS.
The marshals, being appointed, will receive with their
commissions, a copy of these instructions, and should lose
no time in becoming familiar with the details therein con-
tained, and in learning, if necessary, by inquiry at the town
clerk’s office, or of the clerk of the common council, the
boundaries of their districts. They should also apply for
the requisite quantity of blanks from the town clerk’s
office; or, if in a city, from the office of the clerk of the
common council, and make arrangements to begin their
labors on the first Monday of June.11
Experience lias shown, that the perfection of a census,
depends in a great degree upon the subdivision of districts,
so as to bring the subjects of inquiry, within the personal
knowledge of the enumerators; and in reducing the time
during which it is to be taken, to the shortest practicable
period. In some of the European censuses, this subdivision
is so far extended, as to enable the labor of collecting the
data to be accomplished in . a single day. The appoint-
ment of a marshal in each election district of the state, will
reduce the time required, it is believed, in all instances to
less than a month. * It is highly important, that no delay
should occur to prevent the marshals from performing their
duties in the shortest possible time, and in transmitting two
copies of the schedules, duly compared, signed, endorsed,
sworn to, and dated, to the county clerk. If there is discov-
ered any deficiency in the supply of blanks received, ap-
plication should be immediately made to the county clerks
for the balance, unless in some cases, it be more convenient
to procure them directly from this office.
Having received the necessary blanks and instructions,
the marshals should so arrange their plans, as to include all
the inhabitants, taking special care that none residing in
courts and alleys in the cities, or on private roads, or dis-
tant from any road in the country, shall be omitted.
The importance of a kind and conciliatory manner, is so
essentially necessary in securing the confidence and good-
will of the families approached for information, that the
suggestion itself, is deemed sufficient. Persons of intelli-
gence, will readily appreciate the objects for which the
census is taken, and cooperate in facilitating the inquiries of
the officers charged with the duty of making them; but the
marshals will occasionally meet with ignorant and narrow-
minded persons, who will associate some vague apprehen-
sion of taxes with the inquiries after the statistics of agri-
culture and industry,whom they may find it proper to assure,
*In & few instances, where the population is less than 3000, one marshal will have
two election districts.12
that the census has no relation to the assessment, and that
the statistics therein contained, are to be used for the gen-
eral purposes of the state government, and not for local or
individual taxation. To others, who may seem inclined to
evade the inquiries of the marshals, or to give false answers
to the questions, it may be necessary to read the 15th section
of the act, that attaches a penalty to the refusal of answer-
ing the questions contained in the schedules. If necessary,
the names of such persons, should be promptly reported to
the local authorities, that those incurring the penalty may
be duly prosecuted.
As each page of schedule No. I. has 45 lines, it is a matter
of convenience, in making the summaries at this office, that
every page (except the last, which must necessarily be in-
complete,) should contain that number of names, and that
no lines be omitted, or entries made, except in the spaces
having a number printed in the margin.
The act provides, that actual inquiry shall he made at
every dioelling house, or by personal inquiry of the head
of every family residing therein, and this requirement
must be strictly observed.
As soon as the schedules, for any family, or business, are
filled up, the marshal should read over and exhibit to the
parties from whom he has received the same, the informa-
tion obtained; to the end, that any error maybe corrected,
or deficiency supplied. This rule being followed, in all
cases, will insure accuracy in the returns.
On each page of the schedules, is to be inserted, in the
blanks made for that purpose at the top of each page, the
date on which such page was commenced, although it may
not have been completely filled up until the day following,
and each page should be attested by the signature of the
marshal.
In cases where there is but one election district in a town
or ward, the words “ Election district of the,” at the head
of each page, may be struck out.13
When completed, copied and compared, the oath or
affirmation should be made and subscribed, both to the
original and the copy, before some officer qualified to ad-
minister the same; and the schedules thus completed, should
be carefully done up in two packages, each endorsed with
the name of the marshal, the number of the district, and
the name of the town or ward.
The c(py should be marked for the office of the Secre-
tary of State, and the original for the county clerk, to whom
both should be sent, in one package, at the earliest possible
moment.
. As the schedules are to be bound up in volumes for
preservation, it is important that they should be hept fiat,
and not rolled or folded, so as to render their binding and
future use inconvenient. The greatest neatness and care
should be had, in making out the original, and especially
the copy, from which the results are to be derived.
In all cases where possible, the marshals should provide
a port-folio, which may be cheaply made qf two sheets of
press paper, or bookbinder’s board, attached together on
one side by a strip of canvass, which will serve the double
purpose of keeping the sheets flat and clean, and affording
a substitute for a desk, for writing upon, when there be
nothing better at hand. The entries should be made with
pen and ink, in all cases, and not with a pencil, the marks
of which are easily obscured, or entirely obliterated by
use. To insure this convenience, the marshals should be
provided with good pens, and black ink of the best quality.
Especial care should be taken, to make the figures dis-
tinct, so that there would be no possibility of mistaking
a 7 for a 9; a 3 for a 5, or of reading any other entry
different from what was intended. A neat, fair copy,,
devoid of blots, scrawls or needless flourishes, and, above
all, bearing evidence of having been made with care a/nd
accuracy, should be returned by every marshal.14
In cases where incorporated villages occur entirely in an
election district, the marshal should take care to make
such memoranda at the beginning and end of the enume-
ration, as will enable him to add up the number of
inhabitants within the incorporated limits. These he
should add up, and enter on the last page, in the space
designated “Remarks.” If an incorporated village lies
partly in other election districts, or in two or more towns
or counties, state the fact in the entry, and give the num-
ber of such district, if in the same town, or the name of
such towns and counties, other than his own, in which such
village is located, but give only the population of the part
which is in the district he is enumerating. These parts
being added together at this office, will give the aggregate
population of the villages.
There are many villages of considerable size, which
have never been incorporated, and, consequently, have no
definite limits. In all cases where such a village has a
well established name, by which it is known in the country
around, the marshal should enter its population in the
“Remarks,” on the last page, using his own discretion in
deciding the limits of the village, and stating, if the fact,
that it is situated partly in two or more districts, whose
numbers, or names, he should give.
With the exception of adding the population of villa-
ges, the marshals will have no duties to perform in
relation to the footing up or analysis of the schedules, as
this duty will be performed in this office.
The schedules are numbered from I. to VI., and the
columns are numbered continuously from 1 to 161, for con-
venience of reference to the Instructions, in any cases of
doubt or uncertainty.
Schedule No. I.—Population.
1« Dwellings numbered in the order of visitation.—Un-
der this head insert the number of the dwelling houses, as15
they are visited. The first house visited to be numbered
1; the second one visited, 2; and so on, to the last house
visited in the district. By a dwelling house, is meant a
separate inhabited tenement, having one or more families
under one roof. Where several tenements are in one
block, with walls, either of brick or wood to divide them,
having separate entrances, they are each to be numbered
as separate houses, but where not so divided, they are to
be numbered as one house.
If a house is used partly for a store, shop, office, or for
other purposes, and partly for a dwelling house, it is to
be numbered as a dwelling house; but where used for
lodging only, it is not. Hotels, poor-houses, garrisons,
hospitals, asylums, jails, penitentiaries, houses of refuge,
and other similar institutions, are each to be numbered as
a dwelling house.
In these cases, write perpendicularly below the number
the name or description, as “ hotel,” “ poor-house,” &c., as
the case may be.
2« Of what material built ?—In this column, write the
material of which the house is built, as “ stone,” “ brick,”
&c.; or if built of different materials, as brick, faced with
marble, freestone, &c., write the material of which the
principal front is composed. If plastered in mastic, rough-
cast or other imitation of stone, it is to be entered as of
the material of which the wall is composed. As the term
“wood,” might be somewhat indefinite, the mode in which
it is built, if of this material, should be stated, as, “ framed,”
“ logs,” “ plank,” &c., instead of the word “ wood,” which
is to be implied when such terms are used.
3i Value of Dwellings.—This value is to be estimated
so as to include the lot on which such dwellings are
built, if in a city or village, but not otherwise. It should
not include buildings other than dwellings, unless so con-
nected as to form an essential part, of a dwelling. The
estimate should refer to present value, with reference16
to location, but without reference to assessed value or ori-
ginal cost.
4. Families numbered in the order of their visitation.—
Under this head, insert the number of the families as
visited, in the same manner as the dwellings.
By the term family, is meant either one person living
separately in a house, or part of a house, and providing
for him or herself, or several persons, living together in a
house, or a part of a house, upon one common means of
support, and separately from others in similar circumstan-
ces. A widow, living alone, and separately providing for
herself, or two hundred individuals, living together, and
provided for by a common head, should each be numbered
as one family.
The resident inmates of an hotel, jail, prison, garrison,
hospital, poor-house, asylum, house of refuge, or other
similar institution, should be considered as one family.
5* Name of every person whose usual place of abode, on
the first day of June, 1855, was in this family.—In this
column insert the name of every person in each family, of
every age, including the names of those temporarily
absent, as well as those that were at home on that day.
The name of any member of a family who may have died
since the first day of June, is to be entered and described
as if living; but the name of any child born after that
day is to be omitted. The names are to be written, be-
ginning with the father and mother; or if either or both be
dead, beginning with some other ostensible head of the
family, to be followed, as far as practicable, with the
name of the oldest child residing at home, then the next
oldest, and so on to the youngest; then the other inmates,
lodgers and boarders, laborers, domestics and servants,
having no other home at which they would be enumerated.
If such lodgers, boarders, laborers, domestics or servants
are but temporary inmates, belonging to other families,17
they should he enumerated in the families to which they
consider themselves permanently attached.
The inmates of jails, prisons, garrisons, hospitals, asy-
lums, poor-houses, houses of refuge, and similar institutions,
are to he enumerated in such institutions, and in no case
in the families to which they belong when not so detained
on account of poverty, crime or infirmity, or hy enlistment
in military service.
Persons traveling, in foreign countries, if they have a
home in this state at which they usually reside, are to he
enumerated as if at home, providing that such absence is
only temporary, and with the intention of returning. On
the other hand, foreigners and citizens of other states, cas-
ually present in this state, and only traveling or engaged
on transient business, are not to he enumerated as citizens
of the state.
Persons residing at hotels and hoarding houses, and
having no other homes, are to he considered as members
of the family where they hoard; hut if they are only
temporary residents, and have other homes at which they
usually reside, they should he enumerated at such homes.
All keepers of prisons, asylums and similar institutions,
and the commanding officers of garrisons, are to he con-
sidered as the heads of their respective families, and the
details concerning the inmates of each, should he entered
in their proper columns.
By usual place of abode, is meant the house or usual
lodging place of a person.
Students in colleges, academies or schools, when absent
from the families to which they belong, are to he enumer-
ated as if at home; hut if such students have no other home
they are to he counted as members of the family in which
they hoard. Students belonging to families in this state,
hut attending school or college out of the state, are to he
enumerated as if at home, and students residing out of the
218
state, but temporarily attending within the state, are not
to be enumerated.
Inquiries must be made at all stores, shops, eating houses,
and other similar places, and the names and other facts
concerning every person who usually slept there should be
taken, provided such person is not otherwise enumerated.
Persons on board of vessels accidentally in port, those
whose only habitation is the boat or vessel to which they
belong, those who are temporarily boarding for a few days
at a sailor’s boarding or lodging house, if they belong to
other places, are not to be enumerated as the population of
a place.
The sailors and hands of a revenue cutter, or of any
vessel or boat employed in navigating the sea, lakes, rivers
or canals, are to be enumerated as of the place where such
boat belongs, unless they form parts of families otherwise
enumerated; and any persons living on board of any vessel
or boat, with no other home, must be enumerated as of
the place where the vessel or boat is owned, licensed or
registered.
Marshals should make inquiries, at the offices of persons
or agents of companies employing any boat or vessel in
the commerce or internal navigation of the state, for all
persons residing on boats or vessels in their employment,
having no other homes, and not otherwise enumerated.
Where persons have removed since the first day of June,
1855, they are to be enumerated as of the district in which
they lived on that day. In cases where such families or
persons have removed from the district, the statistics con-
cerning them are to be learned from the best means of in-
formation within reach.
6* Age.—In this column insert, in figures, the specific
age of each person, at his or her last birth day previous to
the 1st of June, opposite the name of such person. If the
exact age in years cannot be ascertained, insert a number
which shall be the nearest approximation to it.19
The age, either exact or estimated, of every person is to
be inserted.
If the person be a child under one year old, the entry is
to be made by the fractional parts of a year, thus: one
month, TV; two months, TV; three months, and so on
to Unless the age be under one year there should be
no fractions used, the whole number of entire years which
the person has lived being given.
7.	Sex,—In this column insert in all cases, opposite to
each uame, the letter M. or F., according as such person is
male or female.
8.	Color.—If the ' person be white, no entry is to be
made, but if mulatto, write M.; or if black, B. opposite to
the name. In like manner if the person be an Indian,
living apart from any tribe, and not on any reservation,
write Ind. The number of Indians of this class is probably
extremely small. Special marshals will be appointed for
taking the census of Indians residing together in settle-
ments, and the marshals appointed for taking the census of
the election districts of towns will have no duties to per-
form in relation to such Indian settlements. Special
marshals will be appointed to take the Allegany, Oattar
raugus, Oneida, Onondaga, St. Regis, Tonawanda, and
Tuscarora Indians. All others should be taken by the
town marshals.
9* Relation to the head of the family.—No entry should
be made in this column opposite to the name of the head
of the family, but opposite to every other name, write the
relation to such head, as: “ Wife,” “ child,” “ father,”
“mother,” “aunt,” “servant,” “ apprentice,” “boarder,”
&c., <fcc., as the case may be.
10. In what county of this state, or in what other state
or foreign country horn ?—In this column, opposite to each20
name, write the county, (but not town or city) in which
each person was born, if he be a native of the State of
New York, as “ Erie,” “ Oneida,” <fcc., but if of any other'
of the United States write the name of the state, or a
sufficient abbreviation thereof, as “ Maine,” “Ohio,” “ Mass.,”
&c. If the person is a native of a foreign country, write
the name of such country, as “ Canada,” “ England,” “ Ire-
land,” “France,” <fcc.
lit Married.—If the person is married and have a
consort living, write the figure 1, in this column opposite
the name.
12* Widowed.—If the person shall have been married
but be now a widow or widower, write the figure 1 in this
column opposite the name.
If the person has not been married, or has been divorced,
no entry is to be made in columns 11 or 12.
13« Years resident in this city or town.—The object of
this inquiry is to ascertain the relative permanence of resi-
dence in the population of the State. Opposite to the
name of each person write in figures the number of whole
years the person has lived in the town or city. No reference
must be made to removals from one part of a town or city to
another, and no fractions should be used unless the time be
less than one year, when they may be used as in column 6.
14* Profession, Trade or Occupation. — Opposite the
name of every male person over fifteen years of age, and
of every female having a distinct trade or employment
other than the ordinary domestic duties of the household,
write the name of the business or employment which the
said person is known and reputed to follow in the place
where he or she resides, as “clergyman,” “physician,”
“ lawyer,” “ shoemaker,” “ student,” “ farmer,? &c. When21
more convenient, tie name of the article produced maybe
substituted.
When the individual is a clergyman, write the initials
of the denomination or sect to which he belongs before his
profession, as “ Meth,” for Methodist, “ R. C.” for Roman
Catholic, “ O. S. P.” for Old School Presbyterian, or other
appropriate initials as the fact may be.
When a person follows several professions or occupations
the name of the principal one only is to be given. If a
person follow no particular occupation, the space is to be
filled with the word “ none.”
15.	Native Voters.—If the person be a legally qualified
voter without having been naturalized, write the figure 1
opposite to his name in this column.
16.	Naturalized Voters.—If the persons shall have ac-
quired, the right of voting at elections by virtue of our
naturalization laws, write 1 in this column opposite to his
name.
17.	Aliens.—The Constitution of the State (Art. III.,
§ 4,) requires this and the next inquiry to be made. Op-
posite to the name of each alien, of whatever age, write in
this column the figure 1.
18.	Persons of Color not taxed.—Opposite the name of
every such person, of whatever age, write the figure 1.
19.	Persons over 21 years, who cannot read and write.
—In this column, write the figure 1 opposite the name of
every person who cannot read and write. If the person
can read and write a foreign language, he is to be con-
sidered as able to read and write. If a person can read
but not write, insert the letter R in this column instead of
the figure 1.
20.	Owners of land.—If the person be the owner of
real estate, write the figure 1 in this column opposite his22
name. He is to be considered owner if be bolds land by
deed, contract, or perpetual lease.
21. Deaf-and-Dumb, Blind, Insane or Idiotic—The in-
quiries to be entered in this column are of the highest
importance, in connection with the benevolent institutions
which have been established for the relief of these unfor-
tunate classes, and the utmost care be exercised in pro-
curing accurate intelligence in each family. A sense of
delicacy should not deter the marshals from procuring the
requisite data. If the persons belonging in the family be
resident in any special institution within the state, devoted
to the treatment of the infirmity to which he is subject,
no entry should be made, as the necessary facts will be
obtained by the marshal in whose district such institution
is located.
If this column is properly prepared, it will show, in
connection with the other entries opposite the name of
the individual, a large amount of useful information, of
practical value in aiding the state to an intelligent ad-
ministration of the affairs of her humane institutions.
A person is to be noted as “ deaf and dumb” who was
born without the sense of hearing, and, consequently, has
not acquired the use of speech, or who lost the sense of
hearing before the faculty of speech had been acquired.
If a person is mute from disease, or any cause other
than deafness from childhood, no entry is to be made in
the schedules. In like manner, if a person has become
deaf from age, or disease, no notice thereof should be
made, unless the loss of hearing occurred in early child-
hood, as above stated; in which case, such person may be
entered as “ deaf and dumb,” and a note, referring to the
margin or bottom of the page, may be made, stating the
cause, if known. This fact, taken in connection with
the age, would afford a knowledge as to whether such
person is a proper subject of instruction, and entitled to23
the privileges of a special institution for the education of
deaf mutes. When deafness occurs in middle life or old
age, it is, like many other infirmities, a serious personal
inconvenience, "but does not generally disqualify a person
from his accustomed employment, or render him sooner
chargeable to the public, if poor.
If a person be blind, the fact should be written in
column No. 21; and, if the cause is known, it should be
stated in a note in the margin. Partial blindness, or a
loss of one eye only, should not be noted.
Insanity exists in every degree, from a slight aberration
of mind on some particular subject to raving madness;
and the marshals may find it difficult at times to decide
whether or not a person should be classed with the insane.
In general, if a person is reputed to be erratic on some
particular subject, yet attends regularly to his business,
and provides for his family, without evincing to an ordi-
nary observer special symptoms of insanity, he should
not be entered as insane. This subject is left to the
discretion of the marshals, who, in most cases, will be able
from the facts before them, to draw a just inference. If
insane persons are in asylums, poor-houses or similar
institutions, they should only be enumerated at such
institutions, and not in the families to which they belong
when at home.	*
Idiots should be, in like manner, enumerated in the
place where they resided on the first day of June;
whether in families, or in institutions devoted wholly or
in part to their support.
In general, a person capable of self support, and the
transaction of ordinary business, should not be classed
with the idiotic, although his grade of intellect may be
below the general average. In no case should dementia
from old age be so entered, unless it haS existed through
life. It is a matter of especial interest to ascertain the
number of the idiotic below the age of twelve years,24
as many of such, are capable of a useful degree of edu-
cation ; and the marshals are requested to take especial
care in enumerating all of this class, notwithstanding the
delicacy attending inquiries of this kind. A proper dis-
cretion, and explanation of the objects of the inquiry,
will generally secure the requisite information. If the
cause of the infirmity be known, it may be entered in the
margin.
In some cases it may be difficult to distinguish between
a passive insanity, or dementia, and idiocy. In cases of
doubt, the opinion of physicians should be consulted.
Schedule No. II.—Agriculture and Domestic Manufac-
tures.
22* Name of the Owner, Agent or Manager of’the farm.
—In case where a person owns more than one farm,
carried on by different individuals, the persons in charge
will give the statistics of each. A careful observance of
this rule will prevent any farms from being twice taken.
28* Acres improved.—In this column write the number
acres of land under cultivation or improvement, including
pasture, meadow, 'arable land, and in short everything that
has been reclaimed from a state of nature, deducting high-
ways, lakes and ponds of water, when the latter exceed
ten acres in area, but not otherwise.
24* Acres unimproved.—In this column enter the num-
ber of acres in the state of nature, as woodland, uncultivated
swamps and marshes, and lakes and ponds of water over
ten acres in area, providing the latter are considered pri-
vate property. Inquiries should be made for non-resident
lands, the owners of which are unknown, and the number
of acres of wild land according to the best means of infor-
mation that can be reached by the marshals, should be25
entered. In this case, instead of the name, in column 22,
write “ non-resident,” and in column 24, the whole number
of acres of this description in the district.
If unimproved lands in any district be in charge of a
reputed owner or agent, they should be set opposite the
name of such owner or agent, in the several districts in
which they lie, whether the agent or owner reside in such
district or not; but in no instance, should there be set
against any name, a greater number of acres than such
person may have in the election district in which the entry
is made.
It is highly important that columns 23 and 24 should
together show the aggregate quantity of land in each dis-
trict, and their general sum, together that in the whole
state.
25.	Cash value of Farms.—The value of the whole
farm, including buildings and improvements, as well as
wild or unimproved land, should be entered in this column
in dollars. In making the estimate,' reference should be
had to the price which such farm would ordinarily bring
if sold, without reference to its assessed value.
26.	Cash value of Stock.—In estimating the value of
the domestic animals on the farm, the marshal should have
reference to the current price of property of this kind in
the vicinity, on the first day of June, 1855. Like' other
values, it will in some degree be relative, and depend upon
nearness to market, and other circumstances.
27* Cash value of Tools and Implements.—In this column,
include all machinery used for agricultural purposes only,
as cider mills and presses, steam or other power, and
machinery for threshing, sawing, churning, <fcc., fixtures for
making maple sugar, vehicles, and the tools, machines and
implements of farm labor generally.26
28. Acres Plowed the year previous.—In this column
enter the whole number of acres of land plowed in 1854,
for spring sowing or planting.
29# Acres in Fallow the year previous.—This column
should include the number of acres plowed, but not put
in spring or summer crops in 1854. Care should be taken
to include in this, no part of the land set in the last
column. Land plowed in 1854, after producing a crop of
hay or grain, should not be entered as plowed, but only
under the head of the crop produced.
30# Acres in Pasture the year previous.—In this column
enter the number of acres on which stock was allowed to
range in the summer of 1854, exclusive of highways, fal-
low, and land entered as unimproved.	■
31. Acres in Meadow.-—This inquiry must have refer-
ence to the summer of 1854, and should include the
amount of land reserved for mowing, grass or clover. As
the season to which this refers was one of unusual drouth
in many sections, instances may occur in which land so
kept was not mowed; still, if reserved for the purpose,
it should be entered as meadow.
32# Tons of Hay.—In many instances this will be
but vague approximation, since farmers seldom weigh the
hay collected for their own use. The marshals should es-
timate as nearly as practicable, having reference to the
amount of stock kept, and the average quantity required
in common seasons in the locality, for their support through
the winter, making allowance for the other food used.
33# Bushels of Grass Seed.—In this include the aggre-
gate amount of grass seed, specially harvested, or screened
from grain in the preceding year. Clover, lucerne and
other seeds of plants not graminea or true grasses, raised27
for feeding stock, should not he included in this column,
but in the unenumerated articles in columns 75, 76, 77.
. 34* 35. Acres of Spring Wheat sown, and bushds har-
vested.—These refer to the season of 1854.
36. 37. Acres of Winter Wheat sown, and bushels har-
vested.—This also refers to the quantity sown in the fall
of 1853, and harvested in the summer of 1854. The
number of acres sown, should be entered, whether the
whole was harvested or not. In some instances, the whole
quantity, may have been so injured by the drouth, or by
insects, as not to be worth the labor of harvesting. The
. quantity so lost, will be shown if entered in the manner
directed, while the comparative yield, indicated in the
bushels harvested, will show the relative failure of the crop
in different sections of the state.
38. 39. Acres of Oats sown, and bushels harvested.—
This also refers to the season of 1854.
40. 41. Acres of Rye sown, and bushels harvested.—
In this include the crop harvested in 1854, whether of
spring or winter rye.
42. 43. Acres of Barley sown, and bushels harvested.
44. 45. Acres of Buckwheat sown, and bushels harvested.
46. 47. Acres of Corn planted and bushels harvested.
48. 49. Acres of Potatoes planted, and bushels harvested.
50. 51. Acres of Peas sown, and bushels harvested.
52. 53. Acres of Beans planted, and bushels harvested.
54. 55. Acres of Turnips planted, and bushels harvested.
These inquiries should refer to the crop of 1854 in all
cases.
56. Acres of Flax .sown.—Refers to the crop of 1854.28
57. Tons of Lint.—In many instances small crops of flax
are raised for household manufacture. In such cases, the
amount of land cultivated, may "be expressed in fractions,
and the quantity of flax dressed out given in pounds. In
such cases -write the word “ pounds” with their number in
column 57. The heading of “ tons” was intended to apply
to cases in which flax is raised in quantities for cordage,
&c.
58* Bushels of Flax seed.—This refers to the crop of
1854.
59. 60. Acres of Hemp sown, and tons produced.—The
weight refers to the hemp when rotted and dressed for
manufacturing. The inquiry relates to the crop of 1854.
61. 62. Acres of Hops planted, and pounds harvested.
63. 64. Acres of Tobacco planted, and pounds harvested.
65.	Bushels of Apples harvested.
66.	Barrels of Cider ma/nufactured.—These inquiries
relate to the crop of 1854.
67.	68. Acres of Market Gardens cultivated, and value
of product.—Most families in the country, cultivate small
gardens for domestic use, of which the marshals are ex-
pected to take no account, except as their product may
appear in the preceding columns. But in the vicinity of
cities and large villages, there are large gardens devoted
to the raising of culinary vegetables for sale, for which these
columns were intended. In column 68, the aggregate
value, alone is to be entered, without specifying items. The
inquiry refers to the year 1854.
69.	Pounds of Maple Sugar made.
70.	Gallons of Maple Molasses made.—These inquiries
should relate to the spring of 1855.29
71.	Gallons of Wine made.—This relates to 1854, and
to wine made from grapes only. The quantity made in the
state, is presumed to he very small, hut is on the increase,
and it is quite desirable to learn the extent of this branch
of agriculture.
72.	Pounds of Honey collected.
73.	Pounds of Wax collected.—These relate to the season
of 1854, and should include both that collected from do-
mestic and wild bees.
74.	Silk.—Pounds of cocoons. In this colnmn insert the
number of pounds of cocoons raised in 1854. The quantity
is presumed to be much less than that produced several
years since. If silk be manufactured on the premises, the
business may be entered under its appropriate headings in
schedule III, or among unenumerated domestic manufac-
tures.
75.	76. 77. Kind, quantity and value of unenumerated
articles of Farm Produce.—These columns are intended
for the entry of any product made the subject of special
cultivation, and not embraced in any of the preceding
columns. In some localities large amounts of capital are
invested in the rearing of vegetable products, which form
very unusual subjects of general culture, but of which it is
desirable to obtain the most ample details. The following
is a list of the principal of these, but should the marshals
meet with any crops not included in the list, they should
nevertheless be entered:
Apricots,
Broom Com,
Carrots,
Cherries,
Cranberries,
Currants,
Grapes,
Madder,
Medicinal Herbs,
Melons,
Millet,
Osier Willow,
Peaches,
Pears,
Plums,
Poppies,
Quinces,
Saffron,
Seeds for garden use,
Strawberries,
Teasels,
Trees for fruit and
shade in nurseries,
&c.30
In these columns, those articles that are reared for sale,
and not for domestic use only, are to be inserted. The
denomination in which the quantity is represented, or a
sufficient abbreviation thereof should be written, whether it
be bushels, quarts, pounds, dozens or other denominations.
78* Neat Cattle under one year old.—No this column
enter the number of calves less than one year old, on the
farm on the first day of June, 1855, without reference to
any other circumstances but age.
79.	Neat Cattle over one year, exclusive of Working Oxen
and Cows.—In this column enter the number of bulls,
young and fattening cattle, &c., not included in the 78th,
80th or 81st column.
80.	Number of Working Oxen.
81.	Number of Cows.—The latter is to include all the
cows on the farm, whether milked or not. A heifer that
has borne a calf, should be counted as a cow.
82.	Number of Cattle killed for Beef.—This is to include
only those slaughtered on the premises, and not those sold
for market and driven off, or killed at slaughter-houses.
The latter should be entered in this schedule in this
column opposite the name of the person at whose slaughter-
house such cattle were killed. By observing this rule, the
aggregate results will represent the whole amount of cattle
killed for beef. If under one’ year old they are not to be
counted.
83.	Whole number of Cows milked.—This is to include
the whole number milked for family use, for the milk '
market, and for the dairy, and the difference between this
and column 81, should show the number of cows not
milked.
84.	Number of Cows milked for Butter.—This is to in-
clude the average number of cows kept for making butter31
exclusively. Where both butter and cheese are made at
a dairy, the entry of number of cows should be made op-
posite to the article chiefly manufactured, but the quantity
of both should be entered in their proper columns. The
absence of a number in column 84 or 86, while both 85
and 87 are filled, will show that both butter and cheese
have been made at the dairy from the same cows.
In estimating the amount of butter and cheese made,
that used in the family should be included, as nearly as can
be estimated.
85* Pounds of Butter.
. 86* Number of Cows milked for cheese.
87.	Pounds of Cheese made—The remarks made under
No. 84 apply to these columns also.
88.	Number of Cows milked for market.
89.	Gallons of Milk sold.—In these columns, enter the
average number of cows, whose milk was sold during the
year previous, and the total quantity sold in gallons.
90.	Number of Horses.—In this column enter the whole
number of horses kept on the first day of June, 1855, with-
out reference to age or use.
91.	Number of Mules.—To be entered like the preceding.
92.	Number of Swine under six months.
93.	Number of Swine over six months.—These inquiries
should refer to the first day of June, 1855.
94.	Number of Sheep.—This refers to the number kept
on the first of June, 1855.
95.	Number of Fleeces.—This refers to the number of
fleeces shorn in the summer of 1854.
96.	Pounds of Wool.—This also refers to the year 1854.32
97* Value of Poultry sold.
98.	Value of Eggs sold.—These inquiries relate to the
year ending June 1, 1855.
99.	.100. 101. Kind, Quantity and Value of Special Ma-
nures used.—Under the head of special manures, should be
included, guano, gypsum, poudrette, saline compounds and
other substances prepared or sold as fertilizing agents,
aside from those ordinarily produced upon farms. The
period embraced should be one year, ending June 1, 1855.
102. 103. 104. 105. Domestic Manufactures— Yards of
Fulled Cloth, Flarmel, Linen, Cotton and Mixed Cloths
made.—These inquiries should be made for the year ending
June 1,1855, and include the quantities of the above cloths
woven by hand in families, although the carding, spinning,
dyeing and dressing may have been done elsewhere. These
inquiries are made to correspond with those of former
state censuses for many years, and will probably show a
relative diminution of this class of products from the in-
troduction of machinery, and the consequent cheapening
of these articles. The quantity is to include the whole
amount made, whether sold, or consumed in the family.
106. 107. 108. Kind, guantity and value of other arti-
cles of Domestic Manufacture.—In these columns write
the name, quantity, and worth, of such objects of house-
hold industry as may have been manufactured for sale only,
but not for domestic use in the family where made.33
Schedule No. m.—Industry other than Agriculture and
Domestic Manufactures.
This schedule is designed to contain the returns of all
the products of Industry, (excepting agriculture and do-
mestic manufacture) of each producer or establishment.
Should any one object, on the ground of not wishing to
expose the nature of his business, the marshal should state
that it is not desired to elicit any information, which will
be used or published as concerning the operations of any
individual or company. The individual facts are confiden-
tially imparted and received, and will only be published as
part of a great body of similar facts from which it will be
impossible to abstract or distinguish those of single firms
or corporations. Small mechanical operations, not pursued
as a regular employment but incidentally followed, and
producing less than $500 worth of product annually, should
not be entered by the marshals.
All kinds of mercantile, commercial or trading business,
where no specific article is produced or manufactured, but
which are limited to dealing and exchange of merchandise
or manufacture, are not to be included in this schedule.
If an establishment consists of several mills, or branches
of manufacture, or is carried on in several different places
in the same marshal’s district, but for the same concern, it is
to be considered as one, being owned by one individual or
company. Where the same concern has branches in the
districts of different marshals, they are to be enumerated
in the district in which they are located.
103. Name of Person or Company owning the Shop,
Factory, Mine, Quarry, or other object of Industry.—In
this column, insert the name of the individual, firm, or
corporation, owning or conducting the business.
334
110* Name of Business or Manufacture.—As many
lines in this column are to be filled, as there are distinct
branches of manufacture carried on.
Ill* Capital invested in Real Estate-—In this column,
insert the present value of the premises, considered with
reference to location and surrounding advantages, and
without reference to original cost. It is intended to repre-
sent the price for which the property might be sold in the or-
dinary course of business, and not the assessed value which
is unequal in the several counties and towns of the state,
and generally below the price for which it could be sold.
112* Capital invested in Tools and Machinery.—In this
column enter the present value without reference to first
cost, of the tools and machinery employed in the business
or manufacture.
113* 114. 115.—Quantity\Mnd and value of Raw Mate-
rials.—In these columns insert the aggregate quantity,
kind and value of the articles used in the manufacture,
including fuel used in generating steam power, or other-
wise. Where several important items enter into the
account, they should be separately stated, using as many
lines for that purpose as may be necessary.
An article produced at one establishment, may be the
raw material at another, as the ore, is the product of the
mine, and the raw material at the furnace. The pig iron,
which is the article produced at the latter, is the raw
material at the forge for the manufacturing of bar iron, and
the latter the raw material of the blacksmith, or the
machinist. So in almost every kind of manufacture, a
material has to pass through many processes of different
establishments before it reaches its ultimate use.
The object of the census in this schedule, being to ascer-
tain the aggregate value of labor aided by machinery
there will generally be no difficulty in filling these columns.35
In quarrying, mining and similar business, no raw materials
being used, these columns will be blank.
116# 117* 118* Quantity, Mnd and value of Manufactured
product.—In these columns, enter the aggregate of the
several distinct classes of manufacture, using as many lines
as are requisite. It is not necessary that these entries
generally, should range on the same horizontal lines with
those in the three preceding columns, but the first one
should be on the same line with the name of the person or
company. The remarks under the preceding head con-
cerning what are relatively raw materials and manufactured
products apply to this.
By Quantity, is meant the usual mode and terms of ex-
pressing weights, measures or amount, as pounds of tallow,
bales of cotton, reams of paper, tons or bushels of coal,
barrels or bushels of salt, &c. The initials of the term
used should be written after the figures representing the
quantity, as B. for bales, Bush, for bushels, Bl. for barrel, &c.
By Kind, is intended to include the name of the articles
used or produced. Where different articles of the same
class are manufactured, a general term should be used, as,
“ cutlery,” “ hollow ware,” “ furniture,” “ glass ware,” <fcc.,
but where the manufacture is limited to a single article it
should be specified, as “knives,” “kettles,” “chairs,”
“ window glass,” &c.
The Value, of the whole amount of each article whose
kind and quantity are given, should be entered in the ag-
gregate for the year ending June 1, 1855, to which date
all inquiries in schedule No. III. should refer.
The value of raw materials as well as of the manufac-
tured product is to be estimated at the place of manufacture,
and will include the cost of transportation of the former to
where used, but not of the latter to the market.
119. Kind of Motive Power.—In this column write
“ steam,” “ water,” “ horse power,” <fcc., as the case may be.36
Where more than one kind of power ig employed, each
should be entered. As hand power is more or less used in
connection with machinery, it is not to be specified, unless
forming the only or principal motive power of looms,
printing presses or other machinery.
120# 121.122# 123# Persons employed.—In these columns,
enter the average number of persons engaged in the man-
ufacture or business, including agents, overseers, clerks and
employees of every class, directly and principally employed,
but not those transiently engaged for brief periods. If the
nature of the business is such that it cannot be carried on-
throughout the year, but only for a season, the average
number of persons engaged in such season, is to be entered.
124# 125. Wages exclusive of Board.—In these col-
umns insert the average wages, reduced to months, of
persons employed. Where different rates are paid, those
only of persons of the most numerous class, are to be
included, without reference to the compensation of agents,
overseers or officers charged with the superintendence of
the business. It is designed to get the average earnings of
the laboring classes, in the several departments of industry
throughout the state. Where board is included in the
rate of wages, the rate of board should be added to that of
the wages, so as to make the latter in all cases equal to
what would be paid to employees, who paid their board
out of their earnings.
The object of the inquiry being, to arrive at the cost of
labor, care should be taken to get uniformity in results,
which can only be obtained by observing the above rule.
In these columns include the individual labor of a producer
working on his own account, whose productions are separ-
ately enumerated.Schedule IV.—Marriages and Deaths.
The design of the inquiries contained in this schedule,
being to arrive at general results, rather than isolated facts,
the names of the parties are not entered. If the inquiries
are correctly and carefully made, they will show all of the
facts properly belonging to a census. They should em-
brace the year ending June 1,1855.
Statistics concerning marriages are to be obtained of the
parties married; and after making all the inquiries directed
in the preceding schedules, the marshals should ascertain,
whether any have been married during the year. If both
parties to the marriage are residing together, the facts are
to be entered as directed below.
If one be temporarily absent, the entry is to be made
as if at home. If one be dead, the survivor should answer
the questions as if the other were living. If both are dead,
the inquiry should be made of the family of the bride be-
fore marriage. If the parties are divorced, or separated
by the residence of one of them in a prison, garrison,
asylum or similar place of detention, though the latter be
but for a limited time, the entry of each should be made at
the residence of the parties, and neither should answer the
questions except so far as they concern himself or herself,
as the case may be. If the marriage be that of parties not
residing in the state on the first day of June, the inquiries
should be answered at the former residence of the bride,
provided that the latter was previously a resident of the
state, but not otherwise. Marriages within the state, of
parties not residing therein, and only temporarily present
at the time of marriage, are not to be entered.
126* 127. Ages of Husband and Wife.—In these col-
umns write the age of each, on his and her last birthday
previous to the marriage ; unless the parties are divorced,
or one be an inmate of a prison, garrison, asylum, or similar38
place of detention, when the entry is to he made only of
the one of whom the marshal is inquiring. Fractions should
not he used in these columns.
128. 129. Previous civil condition of the Husband and
Wife.—If the person shall not have heen previously
married, write S. If previously married, and divorced,
write D. If a widow, or a widower, write W.
130.	In what month Married t—In this column write the
month of marriage, without the day of the month.
131.	Place of Marriage, where different from present
Residence.—The object of this inquiry is to ascertain the
number of marriages in the several sections of the State.
If the marriage shall have heen, in the county where the
inquiry is answered, no entry is to he made ; hut if in any
other county, state or country, the latter should be entered
in this column, observing the same rule in relation to the
county, state, or country, as directed in column 10.
Deaths.—The inquiries relating to deaths must he an-
swered by the surviving members of the family to whom
such person belonged, if the death occurred at home, but
not otherwise. Strangers, travelers, and persons not
residing within the state, who may have died within the
same, shall be entered as of the hotel, family, or other
place where such person shall have died.
Persons dying away from home, within this state, should
be entered as of the family or place in which they died.
The superintendents, keepers or managers of prisons,
hospitals, asylums, garrisons, or similar establishments,
should give the number that have died during the year, in
their respective institutions. Marshals should take care to
learn by inquiries of coroners, and otherwise, the whole
number that have been found dead. The end of these
inquiries being, to ascertain the whole number of deaths
within the state, during the year ending June 1, 1855,
care should be taken by each marshal, to embrace all such39
as have died in his district; hut in no case, except that in
the following paragraph, should a death he noted that has
occurred out of his district, although of a person belonging
to a family residing within the state, or even of those
whose remains have heen brought home for interment.
In cases where families have removed from the town or
city in which the death occurred, the inquiry should still
he made of the family of such person if dying in such
family, within the state, and a note should he made in the
margin, giving the name of the town or city, in which such
family resided at the time of the death of such person.
Under the head of “ remarks,” at the foot of the page state
any local or epidemic causes which may have varied the
results from those of common years, and any endemic dis-
eases to which the district may he subject.
132.	Age.—In this column insert the number of entire
years a person may have lived, at the time of death, omit-
ting fractional parts of a year, in all cases, unless the age he
less than one year, when the age in months may he entered
in fractions as directed for the ages of persons living.
133.	Sex.—If the person who died was a male, write M.
If a female write F., in this column.
134.	Color.—If the person who has died, was white,
write W.; if black, B.; if mulatto, M.; if Indian, and not
residing on reservations or in Indian settlements, write
Ind.
135.	Civil Condition.—If the person at the time of death
was single, write S.; if married,- write M.; if a widow or a
widower, write W.
136.	Time of Death.—"Write in this column, the month
in which the death occurred, unless the death shall have
heen caused by cholera, or other epidemic, in which case
add the day of the month.40
187* Native Country.—If a native of the State of New-
York, leave the space blank. If of any other state, or of a
foreign country,, write the name of such state or country,
or a sufficient abbreviation thereof. If the native country is
not known, write in this column the word “ unknown.”
138* Trade or Occupation.—In this column, write the
name of the business which a person who has died within
the year, was reputed to follow. If this cannot be ascer-
tained, write, “ unknown.”
139t Disease or Cause of Death.—If this column be care-
fully filled, it will show a large amount of useful information;
of interest to the medical profession, as well as to the
student of general statistics. Great care should be taken
to get reliable information from the best sources within
reach, and if necessary, by consulting the physician who
attended upon the case.
If the death shall have been produced by any other
cause than disease, the cause of death should be stated, as
“ drowning,” “ railroad accident,” “ falling from a building,”
“suicide by hanging,” “legal execution,” “murdered by
shooting,” “ accidental shooting,” &c., as the case may be.
If the marshal be unable to learn the cause of death, as
will sometimes occur in cases of persons found dead, write
“ unknown,” “ found dead,” &c^ using such term of expres-
sion as shall suit the case.41
Schedule V.—-Churches, Schools, &c.
Places of Public Worship.—These questions may he
answered by the pastor, clerk, trustees or other officers, of
the church.
140.	Corporate Name of Society Owning.—In this column,
enter the legal name of the society, owning the property,
as it is given in the instrument of incorporation, recorded
in the county clerk’s office.
141.	Denomination.—In this column write the name of
the sect, or religious denomination worshiping in the
church. If several denominations have an interest, their
names may be written, unless it be the common property
of more than three, when the term “ several,” may be
entered.
142.	Value of Church and Lot.—This should include
the present value of the church and furniture, including
bell, organ, &c., having reference in estimating the lot, to
its location and value, if applied to secular uses.
143.	Value of other Real Estate.—This is to include the
value of any parsonage, glebe, lands, or other real estate,
belonging to the particular religious society, of whom the
inquiry is being made, whether they be located within the
same election district or not, provided that they are within
the state. If the church belongs to a society that holds its
property in common, the marshals should procure an esti-
mate of the value of the church property within Their dis-
tricts only.
144.	Number capable of being Seated.
145.	Usual Number Attending.—These inquiries may
be made of the person having charge, or any one familiar42
with the arrangement, and the ordinary attendance at the
church.
146.	Number of Communicants.—This should be ascer-
tained from the pastor, or of some officer of the church
qualified to give the information correctly.
147.	Salaries of Clergy.—This should include the use of
real estate, perquisites, donations, and all other pecuniary
resources connected with, and dependent upon, the pastoral
relation.
District School-Houses.—These questions may be an-
swered by trustees or district clerks, in cases where they do
not come under the observation of the marshals.
148.	Number of School District.—In this column insert
the number by which the district is known, by the town
officers, in the discharge of their official duties. If it be a
joint district, the inquiries are to be made only by the mar-
shal in whose district the school-house is located; the
number of the district given, being that by which it is
known in his own town.
149.	Of what material the School-House is Built.—This
is to be answered in the same manner as under column 2,
of dwellings.
150.	Condition of School-House.—In this column write
“ good,” “ poor,” “ very poor,” or such other expression as
may suit the case.
151.	Value of School-House.—This should include the
lot and ground, with reference to their present value which
should be expressed in dollars only. It should not in-
clude apparatus.
*
. Unincorporated Literary, Benevolent, or Charitable
Institutions.—The report of academies, colleges and incor-
porated seminaries, to the regents of the university annually43
furnish all the statistics in relation to the property of their
respective institutions that could he ascertained by the
marshals, who will consequently have no duties to perform
in estimating their value. These columns are intended
for such private literary or other institutions as would not
otherwise be included.
152.	By whom, or what Sect, Society or Company Owned f
—In this column, write the name by which the association
or society is known.
153.	For what Purpose Used ?—In this column, write
“ school,” “ asylum,” “ infirmary,” or other terms that shall
express the use to which the premises are applied.
154.	Value.—This should be learned from the parties
concerned, unless known to the marshal. It should in-
clude lot, furniture and fixtures.
Schedule VI.—Newspapers and other Periodicals.
The facts required in this schedule, should be learned at
the office of publication, or if published in more than one
place, at the place where printed. Every literary publi-
cation, issued at stated intervals, and without fixed limits
of continuance, should be included in these inquiries, but
not serial works, published in parts. An almanac, or an
annual volume, would be considered as a periodical, but
these should be entered only by the parties printing the
same.
The marshals will confer a favor, in sending by mail,
directly to this office, one number of the periodical last
issued, marked “ specimen number,” on the comer of the
envelope. These will be bound into volumes and placed
in the state library, as an indication of the extent and char-
acter of this class of literature in the State of New York,
in the present year. Such collections possess great interest,
and if made at frequent intervals, would afford a valuableu
index to our progress in this important department of the
arts. The facts that are required in the schedule and not
shown in the publication itself, should be learned from the
publishers.
155* Names of Periodicals.
156.	Names of Editors and Publishers ?
157.	To what Object Devoted?
158.	When Established?
159.	Subscription price.—This should be reduced to the
annual rate for a single copy in advance, to mail subscrib-
ers, in cases where different rates are given.
160.	Circulation.-—This should include the average num-
ber of copies of each regular issue. Where there are daily,
semi-weekly, and weekly or other editions, the several
editions should be entered as independent publications, with
all the inquiries required by the schedule, answered for each.
The edition most frequently issued should be placed first.
161.	At what intervals published?—In this column write
“ daily,” “ weekly,” or other word expressing the interval
of publication.
Inns, Stores and Groceries.—This inquiry is inserted
simply to keep up an uniformity with former state cen-
suses, and numbers inserted in these spaces should show
the aggregate number in the district. Places exclusively
for the sale of any article of merchandise or manufacture,
are to be counted as stores.
Relative yield of Crops, and came of failure.—The sea-
son of 1854, to which most of the agricultural inquiries
relate, was, from the prevalence of drouth, unfavorable for
representing the ordinary farm products of the state. To
ascertain the absolute amount of this deficiency, as well as45
its relative extent and cause, the marshals are requested
to enter opposite to each crop, as nearly as he can deter-
mine from his own observation, and by inquiry through-
out his district, the general average yield compared
with favorable seasons. Under the head of “ Relative
yield,” write i, or such other fraction as may suit the
case, and under the cause of failure, write “ drouth,” “ in-
sects,” “rust,” “blight,” “frost,” or such other term as may
describe the cause.
Remarks.—On these lines write the names and popula-
tion of villages, or parts of villages, as directed on page
14, and such other memoranda as may be deemed neces-
sary for an understanding of the preceding schedules.
If there has been enumerated an unusual number of in-
habitants, occasioned by the construction of railroads,
canals or other works; or a deficiency of the usual number
from any cause, the fact should be here stated.
The Oath, or Affirmation, should be filled as indicated
by the blanks, and subscribed both to the original and the
copy, before a magistrate, judge or other person authorized
to administer the same, who is not allowed by the law to
charge any fee for this service.
Immediately upon completing this, the schedules should
be done up in two packages marked as before directed, and
forwarded in one cover without delay, to the office of the
county clerk. Care should be taken that they be sent in a
safe and direct manner, without the least liability of deten-
tion or miscarriage, and if necessary, the marshal himself
should carry them to the county clerk’s office, or send them
by a special messenger.46
INDIAN CENSUS.
Special marshals will be appointed for taking the cen-
sus of the Indians residing in the Allegany, Cattaraugus,
Oneida, Onondaga, St. Ijlegis, Tonawanda, and Tuscarora
settlements. All Indians residing elsewhere should be
entered by the marshals in whose district they live, who
should be careful to note such persons in column 8, as
hereinbefore directed.
In the state census of 1845, some difficulty was experi-
enced in procuring from this class of our population, the de-
sired information, from the j ealousy with which inquiries after
their domestic industry were received, and a suspicion that
this measure might possibly have some connection with the
troubled state of their land titles. On the former occasion,
the subject was a novel one, and the parties that clung to
their ancient form of government, naturally regarded the
measure as favoring the views of their opponents, by the
introduction of customs peculiar to civilized life. The
Indians residing within this state are to some extent pro-
ducers, mostly in the line of grain and cattle. So far as the
schedules apply, the same inquiries may be made of Indi-
ans as of Whites, as directed in the preceding pages.
The marshals charged with the special duty of taking
the Indian census, are requested to add such observations
and statistics as they may be able to collect, which may be
deemed of general interest, particularly as to the progress
of education and civilization, the number, condition, and
relative prosperity of schools, and such other items as may
be deemed of permanent and general interest.47
With the directions herein given, it is hoped that the
marshals will he enabled to execute their duties upon a
uniform plan, and in a manner that shall entitle them to
the highest confidence, as the basis of the generalizations
to be made; and that the results will not only constitute
a reliable data for present action and future comparison.
ELIAS W. LEAVENWORTH,
Secretary of State.STATE OF NEW-YORK
#-
Albany, June 8, 1855.
The many letters of inquiry addressed to this office having shown that there are some subjects, connected
with the Census, upon which there is entertained a diversity of opinions, the attention of the Marshals is invited
to the following Circular:
1st. The name of each person is to occupy one line of Schedule No. I., and the age, sex, &c., of each person, is to
be entered in the appropriate columns.
2d. The value of farm houses will appear in column 3, and the whole value of farms, and all buildings thereon, in
column 25.
3d. The length of any person's residence in a town or city is in no way affected by any division of such town or
city, or by any change of name, but, for the purposes of inquiry No. 13, such town or city should be con-
sidered as having been originally of its present name.
4th. An “Alien ” (column 17) is a person born without the jurisdiction of the United States, and not of parents
who are American citizens and who have not been naturalized. When an Alien is naturalized his minor
children become naturalized also, but his wife does not.
5th. For the purpose of inquiry No. 20, it is sufficient if the person own land elsewhere than in this State.
6th. Where a farm lies in two or more districts, the statistics of the whole should be taken by the Marshal in whose
district the occupant resides. Detached parcels of land should be taken where they lie, if cultivated by a
person residing in another district. In cases where the last year’s tenant has removed, the Marshals will be
obliged to obtain statistics from the best means of information within their reach.
7th. In column 27, pleasure carriages, &c., should not be included.
8th. The inquiries in columns 78, 79, 80, 81, relate to the 1st of June, 1855.
9th. In cases where any of the domestic animals mentioned in the Schedules are kept by those who occupy no and
the aggregate number in the district so kept may be entered under the head “ Remarks,” on the bottom
of Schedules V.' YI. Those thus entered should not also be put in Schedule II.
10th. Where a manufacturing establishment is divided by a district line, the inquiries should be made by the
Marshal in whose district the office is located.
11th. The word “ Miscellaneous ” will often need to be entered in columns 114 and 117, where the business of
the shop, &c., is custom work or of that character. All mechanic shops, saw mill and mills of other kinds,
should be placed in this Schedule.
12th. Marriages and deaths that have occurred between June 1, 1854 and June 1, 1855, and none other, should be
entered in Schedule IY.
If Marshals find themselves unable to finish thoroughly their enumerations, within the time allowed by law,
their districts will upon application to this office be divided, and other Marshals appointed for a part. Such appli-
cations should always be accompanied by a concise description of the proposed line of division, and the name of a
person to be appointed in the new district, properly recommended. It is desirable that when convenient, those
persons who furnished the names at first should be consulted in such cases. In some cases an interpreter will be
indispensable to the proper discharge of your duties. The Boards of Supervisors and Common Councils, will
probably allow for the expense attending this, when satisfied of its necessity.
If any Marshal be unable to complete the Census of his district by the first day of July, or even by the
fifth, he will not cease from his labors in consequence of the expiration of the time, but will proceed diligently
till the same is completed ; and when done, forthwith file his return and duplicate as required by law.
Marshals have been appointed in every election district of the State. Still it may possibly happen, from
death, removal, neglect, or other cause, that in some districts of the State the Census is not now being taken, while
this Department remains ignorant of the fact. Should any such case come to the knowledge of any Marshal, or
other gentleman, he will confer a great kindness by giving immediate information to this Department.
E. W. LEAVENWORTH,
Secretary of State.