Census Sunday: Can No Longer Read and Write

United States federal census records between 1850 and 1880 consistently show that Miriam (Hill) Russell, the wife of my 4th-great-grandmother's brother James Russell, was able to read and write.

The 1850 United States census shows that James' mother Hannah (my 5th-great-grandmother) and sister Sobrina (my 4th-great-grandmother) cannot read and write. There is no mark in the Persons over 20 years of age who cannot read and write column for James or Miriam.

1850 United States census, Davidson County, Tennessee, population schedule, page 279B, image 564. Available from Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

In 1860,  There is no mark in the Persons over 20 years of age who cannot read and write column for any members of the Russell family.

1860 United States census, 14th District, Davidson County, Tennessee, population schedule, page 243, image 285. Available from Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

In 1870, there is no mark in the Cannot Read or Cannot Write column for Miriam Russell or her daughter.

1870 United States census, 1st Civil District, Williamson County, Tennessee, population schedule, page 10B, image 27. Available from  Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

In 1880, there is no mark in the Cannot Read or Cannot Write column for Miriam Russell or any member of her family.

1880 United States census, 1st District, Williamson County, Tennessee, population schedule, page 4C. Available from Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010.

However, in 1900, "no" is written in the Can read and Can write columns for Miriam Russell.

1900 United States census, District no. 1, Williamson County, Tennessee, population schedule, page 8B. Available from Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

1900 United States census, District no. 1, Williamson County, Tennessee, population schedule, page 8B. Available from Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. 

It is possible that this is a mistake. But perhaps Miriam could no longer read and write. Maybe her eyesight was failing and she could no longer see well enough to read. Maybe she was no longer physically able to write. Maybe this census record is a clue to the physical ailments that she may have experienced in her old age. She was in her 80s at the time of the census enumeration.