Sex
Female: 133 (37.2%)
Male: 225 (62.8%)
Race
White: 339 (94.7%)
Black: 18 (5.0%)
Mulatto: 1 (0.3%)
Age
Infant (0-2 yrs): 16 (4.5%)
Child/adolescent (3-19 yrs): 63 (17.6%)
Young adult (20-39 yrs): 117 (32.7%)
Middle adult (40-59 yrs): 103 (28.8%)
Old adult (60+ yrs): 59 (16.5%)
Germany: 13 (3.6%)
Baden: 4 (1.1%)
Germany (state unknown): 4 (1.1%)
Bremen: 2 (0.6%)
Hanover: 2 (0.6%)
Hamburg: 1 (0.3%)
United Kingdom: 181 (50.6%)
Ireland: 148 (41.3%)
England: 21 (5.9%)
Scotland: 12 (3.4%)
United States: 151 (42.2%)
New York: 148 (41.3%)
New Jersey: 2 (0.6%)
Pennsylvania: 1 (0.3%)
Other Europe: 12 (3.4%)
France: 4 (1.1%)
Prussia: 3 (0.8%)
Switzerland: 2 (0.6%)
Belgium: 1 (0.3%)
Holland: 1 (0.3%)
Poland: 1 (0.3%)
Literacy
Cannot read or write: 21 (5.9%)
Cannot write: 21 (5.9%)
Mental state
Insane: 37 (10.3%)
Idiot: 7 (2%)
Source: The United States Federal Census for the Town of Mount Pleasant, 1870
They seem to have a higher percentage of women now, and they also have children aged 3-19. Without going back over earlier posts, is this a later development?
ReplyDeleteWas most impressed that 'idiot' was used as a clinical term.
This is earlier. The manual I transcribed was from 1898 and this is 1870. They may not have yet instated the policy that children older than 2 weren't allowed to stay in the almshouse. There are also seem to be quite a few families (i.e., mothers with children or even two parents with children).
ReplyDeleteIdiot, imbecile, and moron were all clinical terms and had specific and separate meanings. I believe idiot was the most severe form of disability, followed by imbecile and moron.