Warner's Census Analysis
 
 

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Home > Perkins/Durham Research > Commentaries > Warner's Census and Probate Analysis

Perkins/Durham Research: Warner's Census and Probate Analysis

 

The following analysis of Warner Perkins Census records divides its focus into two parts.

 

In part one, focus is on the members of Warner's household on the 1820, 1830 and 1840 census listings compared to the heirs listed in his probate records of 1849.

 

The second part of this analysis focuses on the neighboring Perkins households to Warner on the various censuses: Visnon, Thomas and William Purkins. What could their relationship be to Warner?

 

Please refer to my comments regarding race in the Research Journal if the "free colored person" notations below causes confusion. The race classification is highlighted in this analysis as a way to further draw commonalities between the various Perkins/Purkins households.  There have thus far been no definitive conclusions as to the heritage (Indian, African, etc.) for this family line. 

 

I invite comments and alternate viewpoints from others. Please direct comments to Lisa Perkins.

Part 1: Focus on Warner's immediate household and heirs

Warner's heirs per his probate records of 1849
The earliest know Perkins ancestor is Warner Perkins who died around 1849 and according to his probate records, his heirs were listed in the following order:

1. Mitchel Perkins (administrator)
2. Raymond Foster & wife
3. Brinkley Perkins
4. Joseph Perkins
5. Mahaley Perkins
6. Lovey Perkins
7. Warner Perkins

Each received $17.31 of his estate around July 1849. We might assume that heirs are listed in the order oldest to youngest. It is not known who Raymond Foster and wife are and how they could be related.  Perhaps Raymond's wife was one of Warner's daughters.  Raymond was found on subsequent census in Delaware with a wife named Eliza.

Census of 1840 Delaware, Sussex Co., Nanticoke Hundred

Warner's household is listed as follows: 14 "Free colored persons":

2 males under 10 (? and ?)

2 males between 10 and 24 (Warner and ?)

2 males between 24 and 35 (Brinkley and Joseph?)

1 male between 36 and 55 (Warner Perkins Sr.?)

4 females under 10 (4 x ?)

2 females between 10 and 24 (Lovey and Mahaley?)

1 female between 36 and 55 - (?)

Names in parentheses are my best guess as to whom they might be referring based on the probate listed heirs. Since there is a Mitchell Perkins listed in another household in New Castle County, I assumed his son Mitchel is not included in this census. Perhaps the younger males and females were Warner's grandchildren.

 

Census of 1830 Delaware, Sussex Co., Nanticoke Hundred

Page 47 Warner Perkins, mulatto, is listed as follows 11 "free colored persons"

2 males under 10 (Joseph and Warner Jr.?)

2 males between 10 and 24 (Mitchel and Brinkley?)

1 male between 36 to 55 (Warner Sr.?)

2 females under 10 (2 x ?)

3 females between 10 to 24 (Lovey and Mahaley and ?)

1 female between 36 to 55 (?)

Names in parentheses are my best guess as to whom they might be referring based on the probate listed heirs. Since Mitchel Perkins would have been 17 at the time of this census, I assumed he is included in Warner's household. Perhaps the younger females are Warner's grandchildren, children who died after the census and before Warner's probate, or perhaps children of a wife who had children of her own?

Census of 1820 Delaware, Sussex County, Nanticoke 100
Warner Purkins (note different spelling)
  Number of persons engaged in agriculture: 1

7 "Free Colored Persons":

3 males under 14 (Mitchel, Brinkley, Joseph?)

1 male over 45 (Warner)

2 females under 14 (Lovey and Mahaley?)

1 female between 26 and 45 (wife)

Again, names in parentheses are my best guess as to whom they might be referring based on the probate listed heirs. This household list closely parallels the breakdown of his heirs noted on his 1849 probate, with the absence of youngest son Warner.

Part 2: Warner Perkins' Neighbors named Perkins

The censuses above are very probably the census listing for our ancestor Warner Perkins from 1820 through 1840. All those censuses were taken in Delaware, Sussex County, Nanticoke 100. It appears that Warner stayed in the same place all those years. What is interesting to note are the other Perkins from Nanticoke 100 listed on these census'.

Perkins' in the 1840 Census - Nanticoke 100
Warner Perkins is the only Perkins in the 1840 census in Nanticoke 100.

Perkins' in the 1830 Census - Nanticoke 100
In addition to Warner, there was also a "Visnon Perkins" listed in the 1830 Nanticoke 100 census.

Warner Perkins - Page 47 - see part 1 for details

Visnon Perkins - Page 57 - 8 "Free colored persons" as follows:

2 males under 10

2 males between 10 and 24

1 male between 36 and 55

2 females between 10 and 24

1 female between 36 and 55

Perkins in the 1820 Census - Nanticoke 100

In addition to Warner's household of 7, the following "Purkins" households were listed on the same page of the Nanticoke 100 census:

Warner Purkins - see Part 1 for details

Visnon Purkins - 1 person engaged in Agriculture. 6 "Free Colored Persons":

1 male under 14

1 male between 26-45

3 females under 14

1 female between 26-45

William Purkins - 1 person engaged in Agriculture. 2 "Free Colored Persons":

1 male over 45

1 female between 14-26

Thomas Purkins - 1 person engaged in Agriculture. 3 "Free Colored Persons":

1 male under 14

1 male between 14 and 26

1 female between 14 and 26

Comments:

  1. Note the varying spelling of Perkins as "Purkins".

  2. Note all Purkins were listed on the same page implying their living in very close proximity to one another, and in turn, suggesting a possible family relationship to one another.

  3. Note that the William Perkins, aged 45 or older is living only with a girl aged 14 to 26. Could William be the family patriarch with one of his granddaughters, or some other young girl, caring for him? Look forward to a future analysis of "William Perkins/Perkins" in the Census, which is already partially compiled.

  4. Note the age ranges for the heads of household: Thomas Purkins (14-26), Visnon Purkins (26-45), Warner Purkins (over 45), William Perkins (over 45). The young age range of Thomas implies that Thomas is not in the same generation as Warner or William, although, it has been known to happen that siblings could be 20 years apart in age.

 

In summary,  relationships between Warner, Visnon, Thomas and William are likely but will not be presumed until further evidence ties them together.  A recent family history of Vincent Perkins (received Nov 2002), however, states that Warner and Visnon were indeed brothers based on oral tradition in that family.  Further investigation and analysis of this received genealogy is pending.

 

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This page was last updated on November 01, 2008 by Lisa Perkins
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