Federal Census Hall County, Georgia 1820

Federal Census Hall County, Georgia (1820)

The 1820 census is the first actual census of Georgia to survive, with the exception of a couple of counties (Franklin, Rabun, and Twiggs) that are lost. It was not easy to enumerate those people living in Hall County. In this 1820 Federal Census of Hall County, the enumerator wrote a vivid description of the area, as well as made a request for more money due to the hardship of traveling the terrain. Here is his statement written at the end of the actual census document:

Geographical Description, of Hall County, viz.

            It is bounded South Eastwardly, by Franklin, Jackson and Gwinnett Counties, for 27 miles; and southward by Gwinnett 11 ¾ miles; By the Indian Boundary line where the Chatahoochy is the line from the Gwinnett County line, to the mouth of the Chestatee; then cross the Chatachoochee , and up the ____ Chestatee Eighteen Miles; and North-Eastwardly by Habersham (County) for twentynine and a half miles; Principal Waters are the Hutson, Grove __. Also the North Fork, the Pond fork, the walnut Fork, and Allens fork all branches of the _____ head in Hall County; the Chatahooche twenty five miles through the County, and ______ several small tributary streams on each side. (Inserted here –The ________on the _____ by generally from on the ridges) The difficulties were very considerable that attended taking the census, in the first place, the inhabitants are very dispersed, in the second place the country being but lately settled, there are but few roads, in the third place great part of the Country are very Mountainous, and in Fourth place it was, except in the oldest settled parts difficult to get nourishment for either myself or horse, and often when got, had to buy very high, in the 5^th place had often to travel a considerable distance through fields to get to the dwelling cabbins often, and generally, drenched in dew, particularly in August and September; and often had to walk many miles where it was so steep that I could not ride, or even sit on my horse.

     In the whole respectfully submit my case to the Federal, or district Judge, hoping that he will recommend such additional wages to the dollar __ 100, as in his Judgment he may think proper. 25^th of November 1820

    Jos McGuilohan (?) assistant to the Marshal of the district of Georgia.¹

The Federal Census of Hall County, where Bud and his relatives reside is worth looking at in detail. With the census headings listed first, here are the MULLINS recorded in Hall County, Georgia in 1820, listed by page and line number:

Names of

Free White Males

Free White Females

For-

People in

Heads of

eigner

Families

< 10

< 16

< 26

< 45

& up

< 10

< 16

< 26

< 45

& up

Agri

Cmrc

Mfg

MULLINS, William (000100-00100-0-100) Pg. 133, line 27. William and his wife were obviously just married and had no children. They were enumerated in Capt Benjamin Mc---berry’s District. He was still living in Hall County in 1830, 1840 and 1850. It is believed that William is probably May’s younger brother.

MULLINS, John (110001-02311-0-100) Pg. 134, line 22. This John is over 45 years of age (b: before 1775). With this common name, it might be impossible to identify this family. There were still two John MULLINS living in Hall County, listed on the 1830 Census, taken 10 years later. There was an additional MULLINS – John D. MULLINS, bringing the total number of John MULLINS’ to 3. Perhaps for future reference, in the 1827 Land Lottery, on April 10, 1827 the 30th day of the drawing John MULLINS, living in Capt Wilson’s District of Hall County was awarded land in Lee County, Georgia. About three weeks later on the 53^rd day of the drawing a Burton MULLINS, also of Wilson’s District had two drawings and the land was lot #231 in Muscogee (later Talbot) County. Burton MULLINS of Hall County sold both lots on December 27, 1827 for $225 each to a John Duncan of Baldwin County.

MULLINS, John (110001-11010-0-100) Pg. 139, line 9. John and his family were enumerated in Capt Reid’s District. This John is over 45 years of age (b: before 1775). With this common name, it might be impossible to identify this family.

MULLINS, May (310010-23010-0-200 +3 slaves) Pg. 146, line 31. May MULLINS was from either North Carolina or South Carolina and was born in the 1780’s or 1790’s depending on the future census one wishes to believe. From Hall County, May and his family moved to Carroll County by 1830 where he lived and died between 1860-1870. May was enumerated in Capt Elias Millers District.

MIRES, John (500010-10100) Pg. 149. John Mires (Myers) has married Bud MULLINS’ daughter Nancy and they have six children by 1820. John is listed as between 26-45 and Nancy 16-25 years old, giving her a birth year range of 1795-1804. Nancy was born about 1794. In any case, she already has six children all under 10 years old.

MULLINS, Bud (021211-10001-0-500) Pg. 149, line 35.    Bud MULLINS, parentage unknown, was born in North Carolina, moved to Georgia then South Carolina where he had most of his children and moved back to Georgia 1804-1806. He was about 50 years old when he arrived with his wife and children. This census is still difficult to interpret. How do you deal with the 16-18 category which is included in the 16 - <26 line? On the total line, there are nine people. But on the column 26 to <45 it looked like a 2 was written in and then a 1 was entered over it. What is not difficult is that Elias is on the next census line and Osburn following that. There is no doubt about the close relationship. Bud was enumerated in Capt Tanner’s District. Bud is listed here as being over 45 with his wife the same. Here are the believed ages of his children who were enumerated with him:

Rebecca (31)     She is not with the family, and probably married, to a Childers, enumerated in Gwinnett County, GA.

Thomas (29)      this matches the census, column 5.

Nancy (27) She is not with the family, as she was married to Myers, and is enumerated with him. Between 1821-1824, they had moved to Monroe County, Georgia. See item #5 above.

Burgess (21)      this matches the census, column 4.

Clement (16)      this matches the census, columns 3 & 4, and he is counted twice.

Reuben (14) this matches the census, column 2.

Samuel (10) this matches the census, column 2.

Mahalia (8) This matches the census, column 7.

This, in effect, confirms the sequence of the names in his will and gives us a probable agreement with the ages of all of his children. Bud and the enumerator seem to be accurate, for once.

MULLINS, Elias (100010-30100-0-100) Pg. 150, line 1. Elias, born in South Carolina about 1794 is the second oldest son of Bud MULLINS, and the fourth child. He moved with Bud from South Carolina in 1807-1808, married to an unknown spouse and had at least 10 children. He moved with Bud from Hall County also settling in Campbell County by 1830. From there, he possibly ended up in Hamilton County, Tennessee. In this census Elias, enumerated just after his father Bud, is in the 26 to <45 category. He was born in 1794, which gives him an age of about 26. He has four children all under 10. Elias was enumerated in Capt Tanner’s District.

MULLINS, osburn (100010-30100-0-100) Pg. 150, line 2. Osburn MULLINS was born in South Carolina about 1805, according to Cobb County, Georgia census of 1850. It is also believed that he moved with his father, Bud, to Jackson County around 1804-1806. He followed his father to the newly acquired Indian Lands. In this census, Osburn is listed just after his brother Elias, and his father Bud. He is in the 26 to <45 category, which does not tie in with his birth year believed to be 1805. This census, if correct, would give him birth years between 1775-1795. His wife’s age is listed as between 16 and 26. His wife would have had to been “married” to him when she was about 13. Osburn was enumerated in Capt Tanner’s District.

We next find records with the MULLINS name from the 1820 and 1821 Georgia Land Lotteries.

Federal Census, 1820 Hall County, Georgia

Georgia Land Lottery, 1820

Georgia Land Lottery, 1821

Mullins Index