Plunk/Plonk Households in 1790-1820 US Census

Since 1789, the US Constitution requires a census to determine the number of each state's members in the House of Representatives. Before each census during 1790-1820, the US Congress passed a law setting the day of enumeration as the first Monday in August. All of the following original documents are written in Lincoln County, NC.

2 August 1790

Format: Free males 16+, 0-15; Free females; Slaves

• Jacob Plunk II household: Jacob III, Jacob II (abt1748-bef1845), Susanne, Sarah, Catherine, Elizabeth, Christina Jane Kiser
  • born in Lancaster County, PA
  • Revolutionary War Patriot
• Peter Plunk household: Peter (abt1756-1824), Catherina, Elizabeth Kiser
  • born in PA
  • younger brother of Jacob II, both families lived at same homesite
• probably Jacob Plunk I household: Jacob (abt1725-aft1785), wife
  • immigrant from Germany to PA
  • moved to NC with sons
  • lived close to Peter Carpenter household
  • he and wife probably died before 1800

• Dr. Peter Plunk household: Jacob, John, Peter (abt1744-1791), Mary, Barbara, Catherine, Nancy, Elizabeth, Barbara[mother]
  • migrated from PA to NC
  • relation to Jacob Plunk I is unknown

4 August 1800

Format: Free white males 0-9, 10-15, 16-25, 26-44, 45+; Free white females, same; Free colored; Slaves

• Jacob Plunk II household: Joseph, Jacob III, Jacob II (abt1748-bef1845), Susanne, Sarah, Catherine, Elizabeth, Christina Jane Kiser
  • last name spelled Plank
  • Joseph born after 2 August 1790, yet his gravestone indicated 1788
• Peter Plunk household: John Jacob, Peter (abt1756-1824), Catherina, Elizabeth Kiser

• John Plunk, son of Dr. Peter Plunk, household: John (bef1774), 4 daughters, Elizabeth Shook
• Jacob Plunk, son of Dr. Peter Plunk, household: 2 sons, Jacob (abt1774-abt1824), 1 daughter, Catherine

6 August 1810

Format: same as 1800, supplemented with what appears to be non-census tax-paid checkmarks and acreage ownership

• Jacob Plunk II household: Joseph, Jacob III, Jacob II (abt1748-bef1845), Susanne, Sarah, Catherine, Elizabeth, Christina Jane Kiser

• Peter Plunk household: John Jacob, Peter (abt1756-1824), Catherina, Elizabeth Kiser

7 August 1820

Format: Free white males 0-9, 10-15, 16-18, 16-25, 26-44, 45+; Free white females 0-9, 10-15, 16-25, 26-44, 45+; foreigners; engaged in agriculture, commerce, manufactures; Slaves males 0-13, 14-25, 26-44, 45+; females same; Free colored males same; females same

First census where family name was spelled Plonk.

• Joseph Plonk household: Jacob, David, Joseph (abt1790-1888), Catherine, Barbara Rudisill
  • son Jacob drowns in Indian Creek about 1831 at age 13
• Peter Plonk household: John Jacob, Peter (abt1756-1824), Elizabeth Kiser
  • Peter died 1824
  • only son John Jacob marries Sarah Tutherow and had 7 daughters, Plonk name discontinued
• Jacob Plonk II household: Jacob II (abt1748-bef1845), Elizabeth, Christina Jane Kiser
  • in April 1820, son Joseph signed maintenance bond to sustain his elderly parents, Jacob II no longer engaged in agriculture
  • Christina Jane Kiser died in 1823

• Jacob Plonk III household: Levi, Jacob III (1786-1870), Barbara A., Elizabeth, Catherine Costner

• Jacob Plunk, son of Dr. Peter Plunk, household: 5 sons, Jacob (abt1774-abt1824), 2 daughters, Catherine
  • family moved to McNairy County, TN about 1823, Jacob died soon afterwards

Sources

• Ancestory.com
• Carpenter, Robert C., 2007-2008, email correspondence
• Coulter, Phillip Plonk, 1995, The Descendants of Jacob Plonk
• Dellinger, Ann, 2006-2008, email correspondence
• Rudisill, Martha, 2006-2008, family tree data
• Plonk, William M., 1994-2008, family tree data
• Plunk, Lonnie, 2008, email correspondence, 1790 images
• Valpredo, Sheila, 2007-2008, email correspondence, 1800-1820 images