Genealogy Lesson #14: The 1880 U.S. Federal Census

This week we’re going to finish up our scavenger hunt through the U.S. Census using my Losee family line.

As you recall, you can access the individual U.S. Federal Census record sets through a multitude of databases, however, we were using FamilySearch.org.

Sign into your FamilySearch.org account.

Click on Search. This is usually located in the top navigation bar.

Choose Records. This is usually accessible by hovering on the work “Search” in the top navigation bar.

Go to the “Find A Collection” section of the search page. This section is usually on the bottom right.

Type into the search box “United States Census” and you will see a drop down menu appear listing all the U.S. Census records sets.

Choose United States Census, 1880.

My great-great grandfather was John M. Losee Jr.(born March 1870 in Freeport, NY - died 24 May 1940 in Freeport, NY) Being a junior (Jr.) we can safely assume that his father was John Losee Sr. Although, one should keep in mind that Senior (Sr.) is not part of a man’s official name until he names a son after himself. For most of John Sr.’s life he was just known as John Losee. My 3rd great grandfather, John Losee was born on 17 August 1841 in Freeport, NY and died on 10 February 1918 in Freeport, NY.

You can search the 1880 Census for either John Losee, Jr. or Sr., as both would have been alive and well in 1880.

Answer the following questions:

1. What are the first names of the other married couple in this household?
2. How do you suppose the other married couple is related to John Sr.?
3. For how many months, if any, was John Sr. unemployed?
4. What was John Sr.’s occupation?
5. What is John Sr.’s wife’s name?
6. How was John Jr. feeling on the day this census was taken?

Stay tuned for answers in tomorrow’s post.