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Census and City Directories


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US Census 1790 US Census 1850 US Census 1860 US Census 1870 US Census 1880
US Census 1900 US Census 1910 US Census 1920 US Census 1930 St Louis Directories

Introduction Census Section

This section lists many of the more important census records of the Robert Morrison family from the first US Census to the most recent one available in 1930. The information has been abreviated to show the most important data. However, in several instances one can view the original census form by clicking on the "Hot Link" where a name is in blue.

TIPS FOR VIEWING CENSUS FORMS: You will need to zoom in on the census form to read the names. Move your mouse over the page and a zoom tool should appear. Otherwise, save the picture on your computer, and open it in a viewer that has a zoom tool.

In using a search engine or other indices for census records, a process called "Soundex" is often used. This accounts for mispellings of names, or the fact that names were often spelled differently in earlier times. The name Morrison might be found as Morison, or Morrisson, etc. The soundex code for Morrison is "M625", where "M" represents the first letter, and the remaining numbers represent consonants. "R" is "6". "S" is "2". "N" is "5". So by using Soundex, all names that begin with M and have RSN following would be listed. Census records at the library or State Record Administrations are organized by soundex. However, many search engines on the web do this for you by selecting an "exact" match or "soundex".

US Census 1790

Name County State Town Males 16+ Males 0-15 Females

Robert Morrison Cumberland ME Falmouth 1 7 2
William Morrison Cumberland ME Bridgton Town 2 2 5
James Morrison Hampshire MA Blandford 1 2 3

The 1790 Census was the first census of the new country, the United States of America. It was important from a military standpoint to know how many males were of fighting age, hence the count of males 16 and above. Click on "Hot Link" in blue on any name to see an image of the original census form.

The sons of William and Sarah show up on the census, with the exception of Alexander. There is an Alexander listed in Boston, but the number of adults in the household do not match with the number of children. However, it could have been a brother John, or other adults boarding with them. No way to know.



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US Census 1850

Name County State Town Age Year Born Birthplace

John K Morrison Somerset ME Bloomfield 41 1809 Mass
Charlotte Morrison Somerset ME Bloomfield 37 1813 Mass
Elizabeth Morrison Somerset ME Bloomfield 16 1834 Maine
John (Henry) Morrison Somerset ME Bloomfield 13 1837 Maine
Anson Reed Morrison Somerset ME Bloomfield 11 1840 Maine
Maria B Morrison Somerset ME Bloomfield 9 1841 Maine
Charlotte K Morrison Somerset ME Bloomfield 2 1848 Maine
Lucy Morrison Somerset ME Bloomfield 1 1850 Maine
Robert Morrison Somerset ME Madison 72 1778 Mass
Mary Morrison Somerset ME Madison 69 1781 Mass
Hiram Morrison Somerset ME Madison 39 1811 Maine
Julia Morrison Somerset ME Madison 29 1821 Maine
Margaret Morrison Somerset ME Madison 10 1840 Maine

The 1850 Census was the first one to identify family members by name, age and place of birth. Click on "Hot Link" in blue on any name to see an image of the original census form.

Robert and Mary (Polly Keith) Morrison reside in Madison, a short distance from Skowhegan. Both towns are in the heart of Maine, on the Kennebec River. Sons with their families are John Keith Morrison, Hiram Morrison, and Robert Jr. Morrison who is not listed but shows on the census image.

Three of John Keith's children, as well as Hiram and Chloe (a sister not shown) will die within the next two years. Robert and Mary, who moved their family here from Massachusetts, die in 1857. Brother Lucius is living in a close neighborhood , as well as the Reeds (parents to Charlotte Morrison).



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US Census 1860

Name County State Town Age Year Born Birthplace

Charlotte Morrison Somerset ME Bloomfield 47 1813 Mass
John (Henry) Somerset ME Bloomfield 23 1837 Maine
Anson R Morrison Somerset ME Bloomfield 20 1840 Maine
Maria B Morrison Somerset ME Bloomfield 19 1841 Maine
Lucius Morrison Somerset ME Madison 57 1803 Mass
Sally S Morrison Somerset ME Madison 54 1806 Maine
L. Caroline Morrison Somerset ME Madison 25 1835 Maine
Clarissa A Morrison Somerset ME Madison 23 1837 Maine
George Morrison Somerset ME Madison 21 1839 Maine
Anson R Morrison Worcester MA West Boylston 20 1840 Maine
Margaret Gilhooly Worcester MA West Boylston 21 1839 Ireland

The 1860 Census did not ask for any additional information than what had been asked in previous census.

Charlotte, with John Keith in Australia looking for gold, is now the head of the household. Anson Reed Morrison shows up in two census, one in Maine with his mother and one in Massachusetts with his employer. Margaret (Maggie) Gilhooly (future wife of Anson Reed) also boards with Mr. McFarland, owner/manager of the boot shop in which they both work and probably live.

Lucius Morrison, brother to John Keith Morrison, and his family live in Madison. His oldest son Lucius Lincoln Morrison lives close by. His daughter, Clarissa, later is the source of much of the Morrison geneaology in the book "Strowbridge Morrison" written in 1891.



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US Census 1870

Name County State Town Age Year Born Birthplace

Charlotte Morrison Somerset ME Skowhegan 57 1813 Mass
Maria Brown Somerset ME Skowhegan 29 1841 Maine
Forrest Brown Somerset ME Skowhegan 7 1863 Maine
Anson Reed Morrison Cook IL Chicago 30 1840 Maine
Margaret Morrison Cook IL Chicago 30 1840 Ireland

The 1870 Census did not ask for any additional information than what had been asked in previous census.

Maria and Forrest Brown living with Charlotte. Anson and Margaret (Maggie) in Chicago.



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US Census 1880

Name Rel County State Town Age Year Born Birthplace

John Morrison Head St. Louis MO St. Louis 43 1837 Maine
Margaret Morrison Wife St. Louis MO St. Louis 40? 1840? Ireland
John Jr. Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 9 1871 MO
Anson Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 4 1876 MO
William Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 1 1879 MO
Maria Morrison Head Somerset ME Skowhegan 38 1841 Maine
Forrest Morrison Son Somerset ME Skowhegan 17 1863 Maine
Albert Morrison Cousin Middlesex MA Hopkinton 9 1871 IL
Lottie Morrison Cousin Middlesex MA Hopkinton 7 1873 IL

The 1880 Census added significant data useful to genealogists. Place of birth for both parents were added. A numbered street address was added. And a relationship to the head of the household was noted for each individual.

It is clear that Margaret, wife of John Henry Morrison, was born in 1854. This is confirmed on her death certificate. However, it appears that Margaret did not wish to report a "younger" age, and she is listed at age 40, when she must only have been 26. (This is the last documented record of a related woman to the Morrisons that has lied about her age and given a higher number!)

Albert and Lottie have gone to live with relatives since their Mother died, and Anson was unable to care for them as well as work. They are staying in two separate households, both of them McGrail families. How this family is related to Margaret Gilhooly is still unknown. Her sister died around 1870, and there is a Mary Flynn (cousin) staying with the McGrails age 21, and a possible connection to the Phipps family. The Phipps family have an extensive genealogy, so a connection might be found there.



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US Census 1890

The 1890 Census was lost in a fire, and very little of it remains in existence.



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US Census 1900

Name Rel County State Town Age Year Born Birthplace

Margaret Morrison Head St. Louis MO St. Louis 52? Jun 1848? Ire
John Jr. Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 29 Jun 1871 MO
Anson Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 23 Jul 1876 MO
William Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 21 Feb 1879 MO
George Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 17 Feb 1883 MO

The June 6, 1900 Census added to previous census the month of birth. It also added the total number of children born to the mother, and the total living. In addition, for the first time the year of immigration was provided.

Margaret has grown older now by 8 years, but is still not at the age indicated on her death certificate. But odder still is the month of birth is June in the census, where the death certificate says May 23, 1854. This is the first evidence that they had nine children. As per the letter from John Henry to his mother in 1876, they had buried four children in the past five years. The family resides at 623 Athlone Avenue. Margaret Murphy's year of emigration is 1861. A mistake is made in that the father (John Henry Morrison) is shown as born in Ireland. Both Anson and William are clerks for the railroad.



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US Census 1910

Name Rel County State Town Age Year Born Birthplace

Margaret Morrison Head St. Louis MO St. Louis 64? 1846? Ireland
William Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 29? 1881? MO
George F. Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 27 Jul 1883 MO
Anson Morrison Head St. Louis MO St. Louis 33 1877 MO
Caroline Morrison Wife St. Louis MO St. Louis 28 1882 MO
Reed Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 7 1903 MO
Forrest Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 5 1905 MO

The Census of 1910 was similar to the Census of 1900. It was enumerated as of April 19. Margaret is still playing games with the ages. The immigration date for her is now 1959 instead of 1961.

Anson is married to Carolyn Schuetz and lives at 5321 Broadway with their two children Reed and Forrest. Albert is married to Lulu with two children Ethel and Loretta (image not shown).



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US Census 1920

Name Rel County State Town Age Year Born Birthplace

Anson Morrison Head St. Louis MO St. Louis 43 1877 MO
Caroline Morrison Wife St. Louis MO St. Louis 37 1883 MO
Reed Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 17 1903 MO
Forrest Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 15 1905 MO
Stanley Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 7 1913 MO
Margaret Morrison Dau St. Louis MO St. Louis 5 1915 MO
Keith Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 2 1918 MO

The Census of 1920 was similar to the Census of 1910. It was enumerated in January. Margaret Murphy Morrison has died in 1911 at the age of 57. Anson and Caroline have five children on Athlone Avenue.



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US Census 1930

Name Rel County State Town Age Year Born Birthplace

Caroline Morrison Head St. Louis MO St. Louis 48 1882 MO
Forrest Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 25 1905 MO
Stanley Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 17 1913 MO
Margaret Morrison Dau St. Louis MO St. Louis 15 1915 MO
Keith Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 12 1918 MO
William Morrison Head St. Louis MO St. Louis 51 1879 MO
Nettie Morrison Wife St. Louis MO St. Louis 34 1896 MO
William Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 11 1919 MO
Lawrence Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 10 1920 MO
John Morrison Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 8 1922 MO
Dessie Morrison Dau St. Louis MO St. Louis 5 1925 MO
Reed Morrison Son-Law St. Louis MO St. Louis 27 1903 MO
Thelma Morrison Wife St. Louis MO St. Louis 30 1900 MO
Hiram Greenway Head St. Louis MO St. Louis 62 1868 MO
Stella Greenway Wife St. Louis MO St. Louis 52 1878 MO
Pierre L. LaBarge Head St. Louis MO St. Louis 39 1891 MO
Elsie M. LaBarge Wife St. Louis MO St. Louis 34 1896 MO
Virginia LaBarge Dau St. Louis MO St. Louis 13 1917 MO
Dorothy LaBarge Dau St. Louis MO St. Louis 11 1919 MO
Pierre Jr. LaBarge Son St. Louis MO St. Louis 5 1925 MO

The Census of 1930 was similar to the Census of 1920. It was enumerated in April. Anson Morrison has died in 1923 at the age of 47. Caroline lives on Athlone Avenue with four children. William and Nettie are next door. Their children Larry, William and Dessie will come to live with Caroline after their parents' deaths in 1937 and 1935. It will become an even smaller house with eight children.

Reed Morrison has married Thelma Greenway, and is living with Hiram and Stella Greenway in St. Louis on Gilmore Avenue. His earnings he shares with Caroline and the children, allowing them to finish high school.

For some reason, the census takers spell Morrison with two "r" and two "s". "Morrisson". And Caroline is spelled Carolina, and Forrest with one "r". If using an internet search engine, these are the spellings one should use.

The LaBarge family lived at 4944 Sutherland Avenue in a rented flat. Dorothy LaBarge, future wife of Keith Morrison, was age 11. They would soon move 6 blocks over to Neosho Street to buy a house they lived in for over 50 years.



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St. Louis Directories

The city directories listed the male head of the household or his widow, his occupation, and his address. Other adults working are also listed. The following lists some of the more revealing entries, but not all of them. These directories were not 100%, as John Henry Morrison was not listed for several years when he was first in St. Louis.



1869 Morrison, John H. 3532 Broadway carpenter
1879 Morrison, John H. Athlone av. carpenter
1886 Morrison, John H. 625 Athlone av. carpenter
1889 Morrison, John H. 625 Athlone av. carpenter
1889 Morrison, John H. Jr. 625 Athlone av. carpenter
1891 Morrison, Margaret, wid. John 625 Athlone av. carpenter
1893 Morrison, John H. Jr. 623 Athlone av. press
1893 Morrison, Margaret, wid. 623 Athlone av. press
1893 Morrison, Anson 625 Athlone av. press


Discussion of the above records..........



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