Collection: New York County jury census

New York County jury census

Collection REC0055 - RG 021. New York County Clerk

Abstract

This collection consists of bound volumes containing tally sheets of jury census returns for the city and county of New York. The tallies were taken to determine the eligibility of jurors and list persons and property by ward number for the years 1816, 1819, and 1821. Of particular demographic interest in these three censuses is the inclusion of women with identification by name, residence, age, and occupation or social status, during a time period when women were ineligible to serve as jurors.

Extent

2.5 cubic feet (21 volumes in 9 custom-made containers)

Dates

1816, 1819, 1821

Creator

New York County (N.Y.). Clerk's Office

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research. To preserve the condition of original records, patrons are requested to use access copies when available. Advance notice is required for using original material. Please contact us to arrange access.

Additional Description

Physical Location

31 Chambers St., Shelf 20005-20009

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The collection was transferred from the Queens Borough Public Library to the Municipal Archives in 1991 (accession number 1991-044).

Existence and Location of Copies

The entirety of this collection has been digitized and is available to view through our online gallery.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Alexandra M. Hilton in November-December 2018.

Scope and Content Note

This collection is comprised of 21 bound volumes of tally sheets of jury census returns for the city and county of New York, organized by ward. The tallies were taken to determine juror eligibility and list persons and property with varying degrees of descriptive detail. For example, for 1816 and 1819, the returns are given in a double-page tabular format with column headings for the following categories: names of inhabitants; number of houses; name of street, occupation, freeholds of $150; age; reason for exemption from jury; and total number of jurors; the number of male and female white inhabitants; aliens, male and female [men and women without citizenship], coloured inhabitants, not slaves, male and female [free Black men and women]; slaves, male and female [enslaved men and women]; freeholders of £100 and upwards; freeholds of £20 and under £100; tenants renting $5 per annum; total number of inhabitants; and a column for remarks. There is also a row for tallying up totals of some of the fields on each page.

For the 1821 census, the returns, in similar format, include data in these categories: name of the head of each family, number and street of residence, number of male inhabitants of the same family age 21 or upwards in four classifications according to value of freeholds and debts, military service and tax exemption or commutation. Other data includes: number of acres of improved land occupied by each person, as well as tallies of cattle, horses, sheep, and yards of various types of cloth manufactured by each family, and a count of mills, factories, distilleries, asheries, and machinery. Each tally is identified with this description: "RETURN, made pursuant to the Act, entitled, 'An Act to provide for taking a Census, and for other purposes,' passed March 16, 1821, from the City and County of New-York."

Each volume concludes with a numerical recapitulation for the ward. Of particular demographic interest in these three censuses is the inclusion of women with identification by name, residence, age, and occupation or social status, during this period when women were ineligible to serve as jurors.

Arrangement

Volumes are arranged chronologically by year and then numerically by ward number.

Finding Aid & Administrative Information