Census Sunday: Ferdinand Harless In the 1850 U.S. Census

I blogged recently about my husband’s 5th great grandfather Ferdinand HARLESS (1755-1853) and his Revolutionary War service. In this post, I take a look at Harless in the 1850 U.S. Census, the final Census he was enumerated in since he died three years later.

Ferdinand is the grandson of Anna Margaretha “Margaret” PREISS [Price], the grandfather of Miles (Myles) Washington HARLESS (1826-1891), the great grandfather of Leonard Jackson HARLESS (1858-1946), and the third great grandfather of Jean Alice HARLESS (1912-2011).

1850 U.S. Census, Giles County, Virginia. Source: Ancestry.com.

Harless and his household were enumerated in the 1850 U.S. Census on 31 July 1850. No specific town or locality is referenced, just District 20 in Giles County, Virginia. His was the 214th home and family visited by the Census worker. The family is identified as “free inhabitants” of the district. Census details for the household:

• (Line 2) Harless, Ferdinand:

• Age: 97
• Sex: Male
• Profession: Farmer
• Place of Birth: Virginia.

(Line 3) Harless, Elizabeth B. (not stated, but Ferdinand’s daughter):

• Age: 67
• Sex: Female
• Profession: None stated
• Place of Birth: Virginia

(Line 4) Harless, Margaret

• Age: 46
• Sex: Female
• Profession: None stated
• Place of Birth: Virginia
• Unable to read or write.
• A pauper

(Line 4) Harless, Valana

• Age: 5
• Sex: Male
• Profession: Farmer (identified as such as 5 years old)
• Place of Birth: Virginia
• A pauper

I am not sure who Margaret and Valana are; since they are not in my direct ancestral line, I haven’t done research on Ferdinand’s daughter Elizabeth. Unfortunately, in 1850, the U.S. Census did not yet identify household relationships. But perhaps Margaret and Valana are Elizabeth’s daughter and grandson. I find it interesting that 46 year old Margaret and 5 year old Valana are identified as paupers, and that Margaret cannot read or write.

According to FamilySearch, Giles County was created 16 January 1806 from Montgomery, Monroe County (West Virginia), Tazewell  and  Wythe Counties.

I am not sure where exactly in Giles County Ferdinand lived (the Census just states District 20), but from this video produced by the county, it looks like a gorgeous area in which my husband and I would greatly enjoy hiking and other outdoors activities while conducting a family history tour! Other family histories and record compilations claim that Ferdinand lived in the Clover Hallow area of Giles County, on land adjoining his father’s property on Sinking Creek. If you recall from his Revolutionary War activities, Ferdinand served at the garrison at Sinking Creek from 1 April 1 October 1779.