Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Robert Nelson and Family in the 1870 U.S. Census

Robert Nelson is a common name but not so common that I find multiple men of the same name living in Jefferson County, Ohio.  It has been helpful that other researchers have documented the life of Robert and Jane Nelson and their family, but because of the commonness of their names through the years and in various locations, there seems to be some confusion with multiple people of the same name in online family trees (particularly FamilySearch's Family Tree and particularly in English records).  Therefore, I'm searching for and reviewing records for accuracy in the hope of clarifying.

I began my search of census records with the 1870 Census because a previous researcher shared a death announcement published on October 1, 1875, in the Steubenville Weekly Gazette stating that Robert Nelson, Sr., age 75 years, formerly of Steubenville, had died in Montgomery County, Illinois.  She thought, and I agree, that this is our ancestor, Robert Nelson.

Below is the page from the 1870 U.S. Census with Robert Nelson with wife, Jane, and daughter, Annie.
1870 U.S. Census.   (Available here at Ancestry with an account.)
Steubenville Township, Jefferson County, Ohio.  14 Jul 1870, written page 25, image 25 of 53; Steubenville post office.  Dwelling 191, Family #191, Lines 22-24
  • Nelson, Robert, 70, male, white, coal miner, $1500 real estate, born England, parents foreign-born 
  • Nelson, Jane, 64, female, white, keeping house, born England, parents foreign-born
  • Nelson, Annie, 19, female, white, born Ohio, parents foreign-born

Information I garner from this record
> They lived in Steubenville Township, Jefferson County, Ohio.
> Robert was born in England in about 1800.
> He was a coal miner.  (Was he still working at the age of 70?)
> He owned property.
> Jane was born in England in about 1806.
> Robert and Jane were immigrants.  Might there be a passenger list?
> Might there be naturalization papers?
> Annie, their daughter, was born in Ohio in about 1851.
> If Annie died in Ohio after 1908 I may find an Ohio death certificate for her.

Clues for next searches
> Look for Jefferson County property records for Robert Nelson, both purchase and sale
> Check for information about coal mines in and around Jefferson County, Ohio.
> Might there be a county birth record for Annie Nelson?
> Find previous census records for this family.
> Look for Ohio death certificate for Annie Nelson with parents Robert and Jane.

This is my line from my mother to Robert and Jane:  Audrey Meinzen --> Emma Bickerstaff --> Edward Jesse Bickerstaff --> Ellis H. Bickerstaff (and Emma Nelson) --> Robert and Jane Nelson

—Nancy.

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