Robert Nelson and Family in the 1850 and 1840 U.S. Census Records

I'm continuing my research on Robert Nelson, my third-great-grandfather, and his family, going from most recent to earlier records.  I posted the 1870 U.S. Census not long ago.  Finding him in the 1860 census has proved challenging, so I moved back to the 1850 and 1840 census records.  (Going for the low-hanging fruit here.)  All three census records that I've found show him and his family living in Steubenville Township, Jefferson County, Ohio. 

The earlier U.S. census records (1850 and before) are not as helpful as census records in 1880 and after (which include relationships to head of household) but they give names and the location of an individual or family during the year the census was taken, plus hints about possible/probable family members.

Because I search from the most recent information to earlier information, I'm posting the census records in reverse chronological order.

Both images are available at FamilySearch (with a free acount) by clicking on the links.  Additionally, you can click on the images which will open in a new tab and then you can enlarge the images to take a closer look.

Robert Nelson and Family in the 1850 U.S. Census:  (Available here at FamilySearch.)

This is an extraction from the record.  (Robert and family begin on line four.)

1850 U.S. Census,  Steubenville Township, Jefferson County, State of Ohio, 15 August 1850, printed page 81 (two pages/number), Dwelling-house 1146, Family # 1223, lines 4-14
Persons whose usual place of abode on the first day of June, 1860, was with this family
    Robert Nelson, 50, male, coal digger, born England [born ~1800]
    Jane Nelson, 45, female, born England [born ~1805]
    Daniel Nelson, 24 male, born England [born ~1826]
    Elizabeth Nelson, 18, female, born Pennsylvania [born ~1832]
    William Nelson, 17, male, laborer, born Ohio [born ~1833]
    John Nelson, 14, male, born Ohio, attended school [born ~1836]
    Robert Nelson, 10, male, born Ohio, attended school [born ~1840]
    Thomas Nelson, 8, male, born Ohio, attended school [born ~1842]
    Alice Nelson, 6, female, born Ohio, attended school [born ~1844]
    Emily Nelson, 4, female, born Ohio [born ~1846]
    Mary Nelson, 1, female, born Ohio [born ~1849]

Notes

• Emily Nelson, age 4, is, I believe, Emma Nelson, my great-great-grandmother.
• I notice that Robert and Jane were both born in England.  Their son Daniel was born there in 1826 but daughter Elizabeth was born in 1832 in Pennsylvania.  This suggests that the family of three came to the U.S. between 1826 and 1831-1832.  Now I can search for them on a passenger list.
• Also, if their first son was born in 1826, it's likely that they married between 1820, when Jane was 15, and 1825.  Now I can search for a U. K. marriage record.

Robert Nelson and family in the 1840 U.S. Census:    (Available here at FamilySearch.)

This is an extraction from the record.  (Robert's name is beside the T in Township, about halfway down the page.)

1840 U. S. Census,  Steubenville Township, Jefferson County, Ohio, no date, page 87
    Robert Nelson
    2 males under 5 years  [Robert, ~0 & John, ~4]
    1 male 5-10 years  [William, ~7]
    1 male 10-15 years  [Daniel, ~14]
    1 male 40-50 years  [Robert, ~50]
    2 females 10-15 years  [Elizabeth, ~8 and Alice, ~15 or 16]
    1 female 30-40 years  [Jane, ~35]

Note
The 1840 census makes it a little harder to narrow down a possible birth date with its five-year span for ages, but as noted in brackets, I believe the ages generally correspond to the 1860 census record.

Having the probable birth years will help in locating Ohio death records, assuming the individuals died after Jefferson County began keeping death records in 1867 or after the State of Ohio began keeping death records in 1908.  Newspapers may help if obituaries of family members were published (and can be found with the aid of OCR!).

—Nancy.

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