Six Degrees of separation The Edmund (Edmun) Downs Family Part 2

Several of the ways I analyze genealogical data are by geographic location and clustered groups of names. I am still trying to break the 1870 brick wall. Edmund signed the labor contract in May 1865. The next area I investigated was the census records. 

In the 1870 Federal Census for Pike County, Mississippi a Edward Downs is enumerated with Courtney Downs and children. Edward and Edmund are the same individuals.   An important fact to remember is that in the 1870 census, individuals' relationship to each other is not identified.

1870 Federal Census Pike County, Mississippi Township 2 Range 8 Dwelling 193 family 194

Name	Age	Sex	Race	Occupation	Place of birth
Edward	24	male	black	Farm hand	Louisiana
Courtney	26	female	black	Keeping house	Mississippi
Richard	4	male	black		“
Ann	3	female	black		“
Thomas	10/12	male	black		“
Jesse	15	male	black		“

1870 Federal Census Pike County, Mississippi Township 2 Range 8 Dwelling/family 193/194870 F

The children listed were not born in 1865 except Jesse who would have been 10 years old.  In the labor contract, 7 male and 8 female children without names are listed. These children may have been related to Edmund Downs.

In the 1880 Federal Census for Pike County Mississippi, Edmun Downs is listed with Caroline Downs as wife and additional children.  Courtney Downs who was enumerated in 1870 with children Jessie, Richard, Ann and Thomas (Tom) probably died.  Jessie in 1880 would have been 25 years old and possibly living elsewhere or dead.  Edmund has three children enumerated as step-children. Caroline was probably married to Mr. Buckhalter.  Mary Downs and Jerry Buckhalter are both 6 years old and Willis Buckhalter is 3 years old. The age of these three children suggests that Courtney Downs and Mr. Buckhalter died 3 years previously approximately 1877.

1880 United States Federal census Pike County, Mississippi SD 3, ED 37 page 29 dwelling 40 family 41  



Name	Age	Sex	Race	Relationship	Occupation	Place of birth
Edmun Downs	36	male	black		Farming	Louisiana
Caroline Downs	27	female	black	wife	Keeps house	Louisiana
Francis Downs	18	male	black	son	Field hand	Mississippi
Richard Downs	14	male	black	son	Field hand	“
Annie V. Downs	12	female	black	daughter	At home	“
Tom H. Downs	11	male	black	son	“	“
Mary Downs	6	female	black	daughter	“	“
Edmun Downs Jr.	1/12	male	black	son	“	“
Melford Buckhalter	11	male	black	step-son	“	“
Jerry Buckhalter	6	male	black	step-son	“	“
Willis Buckhalter	3	male	black	step-son	“	“




More information on Edmund Downs will be in Part 3

----The Tree Gardener  

Post updated February 9, 2022