Census Analysis: Benjamin Sauls (b. 1819) of Colleton County, South Carolina

The family of Benjamin Sauls first appears in Colleton County in the 1850 census.  It is possible, however, that Benjamin may be the son of Isaac from the previous blog.  The 1840 census includes two men in the correct age range for Benjamin, and they don't appear in Isaac's household in 1850.  However, that connection is unclear at best.

In 1850, Benjamin (age 31) is living in St. Paul's Parish with Ann J (age 31), who appears to be his wife.  They live with Ellen J (age 1), Benjamin, Jr. (age 4), and an infant named Eliza.  Benjamin is a drover, and he owns 5 slaves.

By 1860, Benjamin's family does not appear on the census for Colleton County.  I don't know where they have gone.  However, a Benjamin Sauls is listed as owning 4 slaves in St. Paul's Parish in 1860, so I don't think they have moved very far away.

In 1870, Benjamin (now age 51) is living in St. Pauls again with Anna (now age 54).  They are now living with Sarah (age 18), Margaret (age 16), and another Sarah (age 9).  Interestingly, both Anna and the older Sarah are listed as being unable to read or write, and they both have marks in the column that indicates a person is deaf, dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic.  This leads me to believe both Anna and the older Sarah may be blind.  There are no signs of where the previous children have gone, but they don't appear to be in Colleton County.

By 1880, Benjamin (now 62) is living in Collins with Anna (age 65).  We can now see that Anna is, indeed, Benjamin's wife.  Their daughter Mary, whose last name is now Moore, and her 5 children also live with Benjamin and Anna.

It would be interesting to check the 1900 census for Benjamin, Anna, or any of their children, but that is beyond what I am doing at this time.

Only 3 Sauls families turned up in the 1850 census, which was our starting point.  In the next blog, we will focus on families that show up in the 1860 census and trace them.

Census Analysis: Isaac Sauls (b. 1793) of Colleton County, South Carolina

No Sauls family shows up in the census for Colleton County prior to 1840.  However, given Isaac's age, he probably shows up in the census for a neighboring county in 1830, and possibly earlier.  Our focus, though, is Colleton County.

In 1850, Isaac (age 57) and Mary (age 54) are living in St. Bartholemew's Parish in a household with Charles (age 25), Caleb (age 24), David (age 23), Rebecca (age 22), Isaac (age 21), William (age 18), Mary Ann (age 13), and Nancy (age 13).  Isaac, Sr.,  and Charles are farmers, Caleb is an overseer, and David is a clerk.  Isaac, William, Mary Ann, and Nancy all attended school in the year preceding the census.  According to the 1850 slave schedule, Isaac, Sr., owned 18 slaves.

There is a head of house in the 1840 census for Colleton County by the name of Isaac Sauls.  I think it is likely to be the same Isaac Sauls for the following reasons:

1. Isaac would have been about 47 during the 1840 census, and this household includes one male in the 40-49 age range.  This seems likely to have been Isaac.
2. Mary would have been about 44 during the 1840 census, and this household includes one female in the 40-49 age range.  This seems likely to have been Mary.
3. Charles, Caleb, David, and Isaac would have been about 15, 14, 13, and 11, respectively, during the 1840 census.  This household includes 3 males ages 10-14.  It also includes one male ages 15-19.  These four teenagers are likely to have been Charles, Caleb, David, and Isaac.
4. Rebecca would have been about 12 during the 1840 census.  This household includes one female ages 5-9.  Ages are not always recorded completely accurately, so this girl could still be Rebecca.
5. William would have been about 8 during the 1840 census.  This household includes one male ages 5-9.  This seems likely to have been William.
6. Mary Ann and Nancy would have been 3 during the 1840 census.  This household includes two females under age 5.  This seems likely to have been Mary Ann and Nancy.

Three other males and an older female also lived in their household in 1840.  Perhaps we will discover their fates as we continue our researches.

In 1860, Isaac (now age 69) is living in St. Bartholomew's Parish with Alice (age 65).  Mary is not listed.  Since Mary and Alice would be the same age, they may be the same person.  Only Charles (age 35) remains of the previous inhabitants of the household.  Another Charles is listed in Isaac's household by the name Charles, Jr. (age 22).  However, I'm not sure that this isn't the missing Charles from John Sauls's household in in the previous blog post.  More information is needed to make this determination.

Isaac's son Caleb has his own household in Colleton County in the 1860 census, but the rest of Isaac's children are missing.  Either they moved, they died, or they got married.  It's probably a combination of these things.

In 1870, Isaac (now listed as age 82) lives in Warren with his son Isaac, who is back in Colleton County.

The elder Isaac does not appear in the 1880 census.  Considering he was born about 1793, that's understandable.

Census Analysis: John Sauls (b. 1805) of Colleton County, South Carolina

Since I am most interested in following the family of John Sauls (b. 1805), I will start with analyzing the census data for his family.  I am purposely only looking at the census data and not at other documents for information.  I want to have a clear view of what the census includes and what it does not include.

The 1850 census is the first census to list all of the free household members, so that is where I will start.

John (age 45) and his wife, Sarah (age 36), lived in St. Bartholomew's Parish in Colleton County with the following children: Ann (age 18), Jane (age 7), John (age 15), William (age 15), Charles (age 10), James (age 6), George (age 4), and Benjamin (age 2).  It is not clear if all of these children are the children of John and Sarah or if they are related in other ways.

As mentioned in earlier blog posts, no Sauls families show up in the Colleton County census until 1840.  One John Sauls (spelled Jno Sauls) appears in that census.  No age is given, and no names for the other household members are given, which makes it hard to say that this is the same John Sauls.  However, there are some indications that it may be him.

1. John Sauls is living in Colleton County in both censuses.
2. Only one John Sauls is listed in each of the 1840 and 1850 censuses.
3. The John Sauls listed in the 1850 census was born in 1805-1806.  He was 45 in the 1850 census, so he would have been 35 in the 1840 census.  The household of John Sauls listed in the 1840 census includes one male, age 20-29.  (Censuses are noted for their mistakes regarding people's ages.  This is not a big enough discrepancy to discount on its own.)
4. In the 1850 census, John's wife Sarah is shown as being 36 years old.  She would have been 26 in 1840.  The household of John Sauls in 1840 includes one female, age 30-39.  This could be Sarah, or it could be another wife.
5. In 1850, John's household includes John (age 15), William (age 15), and Charles (age 10).  The household of John Sauls in 1840 includes 3 males, under age 5.  These would seem to be the same boys.
6. In 1850, John's household includes Ann (age 18).  The household of John Sauls in 1840 includes 2 females, ages 5-9.  Ann is probably one of these two girls.  Jane may be the other one, and her age in the 1850 census may be quite wrong.

It seems likely that the household of John Sauls in 1850 is the same as the one in 1840.  Now let's move forward in time.

In 1860, we see that John (now age 55) and Sarah (now age 50) are still listed as living in St. Bartholomew's Parish in Colleton County.  Jane (age 24) seems to have aged too much since the 1850 census, and she is probably the missing girl from the 1840 census.  James (age 16), George (age 12), Benjamin (age 8), and Ann (age 22) are also still present.  There seem to be discrepancies with many of the ages.  Sophia (age 1) has also joined the household.  John and his wife Elizabeth live on a neighboring farm.  William is not present in Colleton County.  Charles may be working for Isaac Sauls, but it is not clear that it is the same Charles Sauls.

In 1870, the household of John Sauls (now age 65) is somewhat smaller than it had been.  Sarah is no longer listed.  Ann (now age 35) is listed as keeping house.  Three new children have joined the household: Henry (age 7), Thomas (age 5), and another Benjamin (age 4).  All of the previous children, except for Ann, have left the household.  James (now 25) and Benjamin (now 20) are still in Colleton County working as teamsters.  John and William are no longer in Colleton County.  There is a Charles Sauls living in Colleton County, but the age discrepancy in large enough to suggest that it is not the same Charles Sauls.

In 1880, there are several men by the name of John Sauls, but none of them are from the household we have been tracing.  It doesn't look as though any members of this household are left in Colleton County.  There are two sons who may still be there: Charles and Henry.  However, Charles is the wrong age, and Henry is with an unfamiliar woman named Sarah.

The next steps to take in studying this family will be in finding the youngest children in future censuses and locating their death certificates, if possible.  A job for another day.

Sauls Families in the Colleton County, South Carolina, Census (1880)

This is the final U.S. Census I'm going to research in this particular endeavor.  Some more information is added to the 1880 census.  We are now told how the members of the household are related to the head of the household.  We are told the marital status of the household members.  (Amusingly, this includes the young children.)  The birthplaces of the parents of each individual are also listed now.

All of the following individuals are white, and they all were born in South Carolina.  Their parents are also listed as having been born in South Carolina.  The marital statuses for all children under age 16 are assumed to be single, unless otherwise noted.  The households are listed in order by Enumeration District (ED), then by dwelling number.

Adams Run (ED 098)

• Caleb Sauls, male, age 55 (dwelling 459, family 461)
• Relation to head of household: self
• Marital status: married
• Occupation: stock raiser
• Cannot read or write
• Austin, male, age 18
• Relation to head of household: son
• Marital status : single
• Occupation: at home
• Cannot read or write

Broxson (ED 101)

• Jim Sauls, male, age 25 (dwelling 370, family 370)
• Relation to head of household: self
• Marital status: married
• Occupation: farmer
• Cannot read or write
• Georgie, female, age 15
• Relation to head of household: wife
• Marital status: married
• Occupation: keeping house
• Cannot read or write
• Henry, male, age 1
• Relation to head of household: son

Collins (ED 104)

• Bengamin Saules, male, age 62 (dwelling 206, family 206)
• Relation to head of household: self
• Marital status: married
• Occupation: farming
• Ann J., female, age 65
• Relation to head of household: wife
• Marital status: married
• Occupation: housekeeper
• Mary Moore (their daughter) and her 5 children also live in this household

Kozer (ED 111)

• Isaac P. Sauls, male, age 28 (dwelling 5, family 5)
• Relation to head of household: self
• Marital status: married
• Occupation: farmer
• Eliza J., female, age 30
• Relation to head of household: wife
• Occupation: keeping house
• David P., male, age 6
• Relation to head of household: son
• Occupation: at home
• Lawrence, male, age 4
• Relation to head of household: son
• Occupation: at home
• Philip O., male, age 1
• Relation to head of household: son
• Occupation: at home

Verdier (ED 114)

• Sarah Sauls, female, age 50 (dwelling 256, family 256)
• In the household of W. W. Smith
• Apparently unrelated to the head of the household
• Marital status: widowed
• Occupation: servant
• Cannot read or write
• Henry, male, age 16
• Relation to head of house: son (I think this is actually Sarah's son.)
• Marital status: single
• Occupation: laborer
• Cannot read or write
• Caleb Sauls, male, age 57 (dwelling 385, family 385)
• Relation to head of household: self
• Marital status: married
• Occupation: farmer
• Georgiana, female, age 42
• Relation to head of household: wife
• Marital status: married
• Occupation: keeping house
• Harriet, female, age 18
• Relation to head of household: daughter
• Marital status: single
• Occupation: at school
• Attended school in the past year
• Minnie, female, age 14
• Relation to head of household: daughter
• Occupation: at school
• Attended school in the past year
• Sally, female, age 12
• Relation to head of household: daughter
• Occupation: at school
• Attended school in the past year
• Charles, male, age 10
• Relation to head of household: son
• Attended school in the past year
• Edward, male, age 2
• Relation to head of household: son
• Charles Sauls, white, male, age 61 (dwelling 766, family 766)
• Relation to head of household: self
• Marital status: single
• Occupation: stock raiser

Warren (ED 115)

• John Sauls, male, age 55 (dwelling 174, family 175)
• Relation to head of household: self
• Marital status: married
• Occupation: farmer
• Cannot read or write
• Mary, female, age 52
• Relation to head of household: wife
• Marital status: married
• Occupation: keeping house
• Calvin, male, age 26
• Relation to head of household: son
• Marital status: single
• Occupation: farm laborer
• Pinkney, male, age 23
• Relation to head of household: son
• Marital status: single
• Occupation: farm laborer
• Ruphuas, male, age 18
• Relation to head of household: son
• Marital status: single
• Occupation: farm laborer
• Sarah, female, age 14
• Relation to head of household: daughter
• Attended school in the past year
• Wilson, white, male, age 8
• Relation to head of household: son
• Attended school in the past year
• Isaac Sauls, male, age 48 (dwelling 213, family 214)
• Relation to head of household: self
• Marital status: married
• Occupation: grocery & farm
• M.A., white, female, age 37
• Relation to head of household: wife
• Marital status: married
• Occupation: keeping house
• S.V., white, female, age 9
• Relation to head of household: daughter
• Attended school within the year
• C.M., white, male, age 6
• Relation to head of household: son
• Attended school in the past year
• G.A., white, male, age 4
• Relation to head of household: son
• M.E., white, female, age 2
• Relation to head of household: daughter
• H.J., white, female, age 3/12
• Birth month: Mar
• Relation to head of household: daughter

In the next blog post, we will begin to trace the Sauls families as they appear in the censuses.  We'll center our research on the 1850 census, and we may focus on one extended family at a time, for the purposes of clarity.

Analysis comes next, and the excitement builds!  Stay tuned!

Sauls Families in the Colleton County, South Carolina, Census (1870)

Just as we saw in 1860, the 1870 census does not experience radical changes.  However, the place names in Colleton County have changed.  Most of the Sauls families in Colleton County live in Verdier.  This is the first census taken after the Civil War, and they are counting the number of adult males left in each state.

We have 8 households headed by someone with the last name Sauls, and Mary Sauls lives with another family.  Lots of familiar names again, and where did all these Johns come from?  My Grandpa (coincidentally named John Sauls) used to say that every Tom, Dick, and Harry's name is John.

As before, all of the people listed here were born in South Carolina, and they are all white.

Scott

• Mary Sauls, age 65, female (dwelling 89, family 89)
• In the household of Henry Martin
• Cannot read or write

St. Pauls

• Benjamin Sauls, age 51, male (dwelling 1168, family 1170)
• Occupation: farmer
• Value of personal estate: $500
• Male citizen over 21
• Anna, age 54, female
• Occupation: keeping house
• Cannot read or write
• Might have a mark for deaf, dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic
• Sarah, age 18, female
• Occupation: farm laborer
• Cannot read or write
• Might have a mark for deaf, dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic
• Margaret, age 16, female
• Occupation: at home
• Sarah A, age 9, female

Verdier

• Charles Sauls, age 48, male (dwelling 124, family 128)
• Occupation: farmer
• Value of real estate: $2000
• Value of personal estate: $1400
• Male citizen over 21
• John S. Sauls, age 50, male (dwelling 147, family 151)
• Occupation: farmer
• Value of real estate: $800
• Value of personal estate: $250
• Cannot read or write
• Male citizen over 21
• Mary, age 42, female
• Occupation: keeping house
• Calvin, age 18, male
• Occupation: farm laborer
• Cannot write
• Pinckney, age 16, male
• Occupation: farm laborer
• Cannot write
• Rosa, age 16, female
• Occupation: farm laborer
• Cannot write
• Ada, age 14, female
• Occupation: farm laborer
• Cannot write
• Rufus, age 9, male
• Sarah, age 4, female
• John, age 9/12, male
• Birth month: Sept
• John Sauls, age 70, male (dwelling 152, family 156)
• Occupation: farmer
• Value of real estate: $300
• Value of personal estate: not listed
• Cannot read or write
• Male citizen over 21
• Anna, age 40, female
• Occupation: keeping house
• Cannot read or write
• Charley, age 7, male
• Thomas, age 5, male
• James Sauls, age 25, male (dwelling 395, family 412)
• Occupation: teamster
• Value of personal estate: $345
• Male citizen over 21
• Benjamin, age 20, male
• Occupation: teamster
• Male citizen over 21
• John Sauls, age 65, male (dwelling 572, family 589)
• Occupation: farmer
• Value of real estate: $400
• Value of personal estate: not listed
• Cannot read or write
• Male citizen over 21
• Ann Sauls, age 35, female
• Occupation: keeping house
• Cannot write
• Henry, age 7, male
• Thomas, age 5, male
• Benjamin, age 4, male

Walterboro

• Caleb Sauls, age 40, male (dwelling 22, family 22)
• Occupation: mail agent
• Value of real estate: $6000
• Value of personal estate: $1320
• Male citizen over 21
• Georgiana, age 28, female
• Occupation: keeping house
• Mary J, age 12, female
• Attended school within the year
• Davis A, age 10, male
• Attended school within the year
• Hattie J, age 8, female
• Attended school within the year
• Morgan L, age 6, male
• Edda G, age 4, female
• Sallie D, age 3, female
• David, age 4/12, male
• Birth month: Feb

Warren

• Isaac Sauls, age 38, male (dwelling 34, family 34)
• Occupation: merchant
• Value real estate: $1200
• Value of personal estate: $2200
• Male citizen over 21
• Mary A, age 26, female
• Occupation: keeping house
• Cannot read or write
• Isaac, Sr., age 82, male
• Cannot read or write
• Male citizen over 21

The number of people who cannot read or write always amazes me.  We live in a world where we read and write almost constantly, thanks to our cell phones.  It's difficult to imagine a world where this is less of a necessity.

Sauls Families in the Colleton County, South Carolina, Census (1860)

Most of the information listed in the 1860 census is the same as what was in the 1850 census.  However, we also get the sex of the family members and the value of the personal estate as separate from the value of the real estate.

We now have 6 Sauls families living in St. Bartholomew's Parish, Colleton County, South Carolina.  Only Mary Sauls (listed below) lives elsewhere in the county.  All of the Sauls family members listed below were born in South Carolina.

• Isaac Sauls, age 69, male  (dwelling 185, family 164)
• Occupation: planter
• Value of real estate: $6000
• Value of personal estate: $18000
• Cannot read or write
• Alice, age 65, female
• Cannot read or write
• Charles, age 35, male
• Occupation: Stockminder
• Value of personal estate: $6000
• Charles Jr., age 22, male
• Occupation: laborer

• Caleb Sauls, age 33, male  (dwelling 186, family 165)
• Occupation: farmer
• Value of real estate: $800
• Value of personal estate: $2000
• Georgianna, age 19, female
• Julia, age 2, female
• David, age 2/12, male

• James Sauls, age 4, male  (dwelling 294, family 267)
• In the household of George J. Robertson

• Shadrach Sauls, age 50, male  (dwelling 468, family 430)
• Occupation: farmer
• Value of real estate: $1500
• Value of personal estate: $880
• Cannot read or write
• Mary, age 45, female
• Cannot read or write
• Solomon, age 21, male
• Occupation: laborer
• Cannot read or write
• Stephen, age 19, male
• Mary, age 17, female

• John Sauls, Jr., age 27, male  (dwelling 873, family 830)
• Occupation: Wagoner
• Value of personal estate: $250
• Cannot read or write
• Elizabeth, age 22, female
• Cannot read or write

• John Sauls, Sr., age 55, male  (dwelling 874, family 831)
• Occupation: farmer
• Value of real estate: $800
• Value of personal estate: $1100
• Cannot read or write
• Sarah, age 50, female
• Cannot read or write
• Jane, age 24, female
• Cannot read or write
• James, age 16, male
• Occupation: laborer on farm
• George, age 12, male
• Benjamin, age 8, male
• Ann, age 22, female
• Sophia, age 1, female

• John A. Sauls, age 34, male  (dwelling 876, family 833)
• Occupation: farmer
• Value of real estate: $800
• Value of personal estate: $550
• Mary, age 32, female
• Cannot read or write
• Calvin, age 7, male
• Pinckney, age 5, male
• Rosanna, age 5, female
• Eady, age 3, female
• Breta, age 1, female

A number of these names are familiar from the 1850 census.  I think when I am done enumerating the Colleton County Saulses, I may backtrack and analyze these findings.

Only Mary Sauls is found in St. George's Parish, Colleton County.  She is living with a family with another of my surnames...

• Mary Sauls, age 30, female  (dwelling 101, family 91)
• In the household of F.R.M. Sineath
• Cannot read or write

In the 1860 Census Slave Schedule, three people named Sauls are listed as owning slaves in Colleton County.

• Isaac Sauls (in St. Paul's Parish)
• ages 3-27
• 1 adult, 3 children
• 0 males, 4 females
• 2 black, 2 mulatto
• 1 slave house
• 1 slave was manumitted
• 27-year-old black female

• Benjamin Sauls (in St. Paul's Parish)
• ages 14-60
• 2 adults, 2 children
• 1 males, 3 females
• 4 black, 0 mulatto
• no slave house listed
• 1 slave listed as deaf & dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic
• 22-year-old black male

• Caleb Sauls (in St. Bartholomew's Parish)
• ages 13-14
• 0 adults, 2 children
• 0 males, 2 females
• 2 black, 0 mulatto
• 1 slave house
• It looks like the 13-year-old black female was manumitted, but it is unclear

I'm not sure why the slaves are sometimes listed as being in a different parish than their owners.  I'm also not sure who this Benjamin Sauls is, although it is likely to be the same Benjamin Sauls who lived in Colleton County in 1850.  Where did he go, I wonder?

Sauls Families in the Colleton County, South Carolina, Census (1850)

Moving forward to the 1850 census, we experience a number of changes.  First, all of the free members of a household are listed.  Second, we get some information about them: age, race, birthplace, real estate value, and information about literacy and school attendance.

Some of this information is the same for all 3 of the Sauls families that were in Colleton County during the 1850 census.  All members of each family were white.  (Indicated by the blank box for race.  White was assumed to be the default race.)  All members of each family is listed as having been born in South Carolina.

We find two Sauls families in St. Bartholomew's Parish in Colleton County.  They are listed here:

• John Sauls, age 45
• Census taken: 2 Oct 1850
• Occupation: farmer
• No property value listed
• Cannot read & write
• Sarah, age 36
• Cannot read & write
• Ann, age 18
• Jane, age 7
• John, age 15
• William, age 15
• Charles, age 10
• James, age 6
• George, age 4
• Benjamin, age 2

• Isaac Sauls, age 57
• Census taken: 22 Aug 1850
• Occupation: farmer
• Real Estate Value: $20,000
• Mary, age 54
• Cannot read & write
• Charles, age 25
• Occupation: farmer
• Cannot read & write
• Caleb, age 24
• Occupation: overseer
• David, age 23
• Occupation: clerk
• Rebecca, age 22
• Isaac, age 21
• Attended school within the year
• William, age 18
• Attended school within the year
• Mary Ann, age 13
• Attended school within the year
• Nancy, age 13
• Attended school within the year

It seems likely to me that John and Isaac would be related.  However, there is no indication in the 1850 census of what that relationship might be.  We would likely need other types of documentation to prove that connection.  Also, while both John and Isaac are landowning farmers, Isaac seems to be quite wealthy, where John is probably not.  However, John is not listed as a pauper, either.  It would be noted on the census if it were the case.

I would like to point out, again, that John is the Sauls that brought me to this project.  I suspect his wife is my ancestor.  More on that another time.

A little girl named Eliza Sauls (age 10) also lives in St. Bartholomew's Parish in the household of Sarah Savage.  I have no idea whether or how she might be related to the Sauls families in Colleton County.

The family of Benjamin Sauls lives in St. Paul's Parish in Colleton County.  They are listed here:

• Benjamin Sauls, age 31
• Census taken: 21 Oct 1850
• Occupation: drover
• Real Estate Value: $1339
• Ann J, age 31
• Ellen J, age 1
• Benjamin,Jr., age 4
• Eliza, age 3/12

Benjamin's family is quite young, and it seems like they are growing steadily.

A young man named John Sauls (age 19) lives in St. George's Parish in Colleton County.  He is a laborer in the household of William Fox.

The 1850 Slave Schedule mentions that both Isaac Sauls and Benjamin Sauls owned slaves.  Unfortunately, slaves were considered property, so only their age, gender, and race are recorded.

• Isaac Sauls owned 18 slaves
• Age range: 1-30
• 4 male, 14 female
• 3 mulatto (all children), the rest black
• 12 under the age of 20
• Benjamin Sauls owned 5 slaves
• Age range: 1-35
• 2 male, 3 female
• 1 mulatto, 4 black
• 3 under the age of 20