Family history researchers know that most of the 1890 Federal population census were destroyed in a 1921 fire in Washington, D.C. This leaves many researchers without vital family information during the 20 years between 1880 and the next federal census in 1900. Fortunately for Wilkinson County Mississippi Black Family researchers there were 5 Wilkinson County Black Family School Censuses taken by the County Tax Assessor; 1879, 1885, 1890, 1894 and 1896. These school censuses were copied and transcribed by family history researchers and then published by Serena Abbess Haymon in 5 separate volumes.
I found one of the Wilkinson County School Censuses years ago in the East Baton Rouge Parish Bluebonnet Genealogy Library. After a brief search through the book I wrote down all my family names that I recognized and then filed them with my family history documents and let it marinate (far too long). Years later, when I became aware of more of my family names, probably around 2016, I took some pictures of the entire book with my iPhone and saved them on my computer. In 2018 I travelled to the new East Baton Rouge Library, where the genealogy section is now housed, for the single purpose of researching and properly recording these documents.
The East Baton Rouge Library has a copy of the 1885 and 1890 Wilkinson County Black Family censuses and emailed pdf files to me. Currently, the 1878, 1894 and 1896 Censuses are only housed in the Fort Wayne Indiana Genealogy Center. They provide lookups of surnames and will mail the pages to you for a small fee.
This is awesome and I am so excited to see and hear more!!
Thanks Sherre! You are my first commenter.
This is so awesome!
Thanks LaMonica for the encouragement.
Thank you so much for uncovering the family histories of where my paternal family lived. I cant wait to read more.
Thanks Gerri. We need to talk.
Looking forward to exploring all that you have to offer. I recently discovered my family roots in Wilkinson County and East Feliciana, LA.
Thank you Shelley!
Thank you, this is wonderful and I look forward to reading all of your blogs.
Bernice
Thank you Bernice. I am an admirer of how you have been selfless in sharing your expertise and research on Black Family History. And thanks for poking me on getting my blog started.
Hi, I guest my question is how do we who live in another city gain access to these census records. I’m assuming they are not digitized. Can we pay to get copies? Can you provide the contact information to get copies of these records.
Gerri, email me on the “contact me” page.
Alvin Blakes thank you so much for sharing this info. You have done such a great job. I really appreciate when we share info with one another. We are all on the same journey to give our well deserved ancestors their Identity and voices back.
Smile-:)
Eleanor
Thank you Eleanor.
Wow! This is some exciting family history Alvin.
Thanks Dee.
Great read. It would be nice to see a few of the pictures that you took with your phone!
Thanks.
Thanks
Enjoy reading! Interesting note regarding Will Grant Still, Sr…taught at Stewart Church. Where can I get more information regarding his teachings at the “Stewart Church?”