Census Sunday : Washington Abernathy household, 1850, Monroe County, Indiana

Washington Abernathy married my maternal fourth great-grandaunt Martha Ann Crockett on February 10, 1850 in Owen County, Indiana¹.  Martha Ann was the daughter of David and Mary Ann (Nosler) Crockett.  While working in my RootsMagic database I noticed that I didn't have a birth place or date for him, and began searching for him in the census.

1850 US Census, Monroe County, Indiana, population schedule, Bean Blossom Township, dwelling 507, family 507, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 September 2015); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

According to the schedule, this census was enumerated on October 3, 1850, just a few months after their marriage.  They are in household 507 right next to the Eli Abernathy household.  They are the right age to be his parents.

Washington was a 22 year old farmer born in Indiana who couldn't read or write.  Martha was listed as being 18 years of age and born in Indiana.

Additional searches for information on Washington located a Washington M. Abernathy buried in the Chambersville Cemetery, Owen County, Indiana².  This Washington was born June 17, 1829 and died March 2, 1860, according to the memorial page.

I believe that poor Martha was left a young widow, as I have found a Martha Abernathy in the 1860 census as head of household in Bean Blossom Township, Monroe County, Indiana with three children : Mary Ann, age 8; Sarah E., age 6; and Laura M., aged 4 months.

If you have any additional information or are related to these individuals, I would love to hear from you.

Sources :

1. "Indiana Marriages Through 1850", Indiana State Library Genealogy Division .

2. FindAGrave Inc., FindAGrave.com (www.findagrave.com : accessed 5 September 2015), http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Abernathy&GSiman=1&GScid=84606&GRid=24766814&

Census Sunday is a daily blogging prompt used by many genealogy bloggers to help them post content on their sites.

State & Federal census sheets are filled with information for genealogists. Both the population & non-population schedules give us insights into the lives of our ancestors. What have you found that is Surprising? Reassuring? Bewildering? Census Sunday is a daily blogging prompt suggested by Colleen Pasquale of Leaves and Branches.