Author Archives: JEM

James Stewart | 1870 Census

Known Information

Washington Lee married Sallie Stewart in 1870. They were neighbors prior to their marriage. Sallie was living in the household of James Stewart.

Sources

1870 Census

Year: 1870; Census Place: Queen Anne, Prince Georges, Maryland; Roll: M593_592; Page: 212A; | ancestry.com

1880 Census

1880; Census Place: Queen Ann, Prince George’s, Maryland; Roll: 513;Page: 157A & B; | ancestry.com

1880; Census Place: Kent, Prince George’s, Maryland; Roll: 514; Page: 258A | ancestry.com

Summary Information

James Stewart is 63 years old, with an approximate birth year of 1807. He is living with four other Stewarts: Polly, age 29, Sallie, age 23, Geo, age 21, Notley, age 10. He has a lodger named Peter Laxton who is 38. He is living near two other households: the Henson household and the household of Beckie Stewart who has two children under the age of 10.

1880 Census

In 1880, James is living in the household of his daughter, Mary Hanson, who is most likely recorded as Polly Stewart in the 1870 census.

The 1880 Census suggests the Polly Stewart, age 29 is the same as Mary Hanson in the 1880 census and that she was the partner of Phillip Henson. Based on her children’s ages, it suggests that her husband died recently. It also confirms that Mary Hanson/Polly Stewart, Peter Blackston/Peter Laxson, and Notley Stewart are siblings, suggesting that they are siblings with the other adult children listed in the 1870 census.

Name1870 Census Age1880 Census AgeNotes
Polly Stewart | Mary Hanson29 40Polly is a diminutive for Mary
The age is consistent
Wm. Henson10not listed
Catherine Henson6not listed
James412The age is consistent
Same name as maternal grandfather
Louisa210The age is consistent
Philip19The age is consistent
Same name as father
Thomasinfant
Annie2

In the neighboring district, Kent’s, George Stewart is recorded with his wife and children. George Stewart, age 45, is married to Beckie Stewart, and their son Patrick, with their children born since 1870. This is consistent with the 1870 Census, in that Geo. Stewart was living in James’ household, and in a neighboring household was recorded Beckie with two children, including a toddler named Patrick.

Further Research Needed:

  • Review PG Slave Statistics for James Stewart and his children
  • Review PG Freedom Papers for individuals with Stewart, Blackstone and Hanson

related posts

Washington Lee | 1870 census

Known Information

Washington Lee was born in PG County, MD around 1840-1884. He went to DC during the Civil War where he enlisted in the 23rd USCT. He was discharged in 1865. His sister Emily was living in DC during his service.

Information derived from 1880 Census records and compiled military service records.

Sources

1870 Census

1870; Census Place: Queen Anne, Prince Georges, Maryland; Roll: M593_592; Page: 212A & 212B; Family History Library Film: 552091 | ancestry.com

Marriage License

Index of Marriage Licenses, Prince George’s County, Maryland 1777-1886 [database on-line] | ancestry.com

Summary Information

Washington Lee lived in the vicinity of Buena Vista Post Office in Queen Anne’s District of Prince George’s County. The individuals he is living with have a variety of surnames; no one else has the last name Lee. His age is consistent with his service records and the 1880 census.

Community Context Analysis

On Sept 10 1870, Washington Lee married Sallie Stewart; the ceremony was performed by McDonald. The Stewart family were Washington Lee’s neighbors in the census records. Sallie Stewart, 23, lived in the household of James Stewart.

T. McDonald is also listed in the 1870 census as a priest from Ireland. He is living in the vicinity of the Upper Marlboro Post Office, which suggests they were married at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Upper Marlboro. There was also a Catholic Church in Woodmore, which was a nearby Post Office.

Landowners Maps

Simon Martenet was a mapmaker and surveyor who published an atlas of Maryland in the 1860s. His maps of Maryland Counties lists landowners on them. G.M. Hopkins created an Atlas of the fifteen miles around Washington DC including the County of Prince George, Maryland in 1878, which also lists landowners. Both of these maps allow us to approximate the location of a household by comparing the names in the census record with those on the maps.

Martenet, Simon J. Martenet’s Map of Prince George’s County, Maryland. [Baltimore, ?, 1861]

Hopkins, Griffith Morgan, Jr. Atlas of fifteen miles around Washington, including the County of Prince George, Maryland. Philadelphia: G.M. Hopkins, 1878.

In the census records, two post offices were listed. On the page with the Stewart households, Oak Grove PO was recorded. On the page with Washington Lee, Buena Vista was listed. This excerpt from the County Map shows the location of both post offices. Analysis below will show that they lived halfway between both post offices in the western “bulge” of Queen Anne’s District, west of the Western Branch along the border with Kent District.

Nearby landowners include: Wm Berry (p. 211B); Violetta Harden (p. 212A); Ellen Belt (p. 212B); J.C. Fairfax (p.212B); Norman Hill (p. 213A)

The following can be located on Hopkin’s detailed map of Queen Anne’s District. The path of the census taker can be traced along the road that formed the boundary between Queen Anne’s District and Kent District.

  • Wm. Berry’s Residence is west of Oak Gove PO in the southern part of Queen Anne’s District.
  • Violetta Harden was in C. A. Harden’s household, represented by Dr. Chas. Harding on the map, further west of Wm. Berry’s Residence.
  • Dr. Jno Fairfax is the next landowner as you follow the road as it curves north.
  • Norman Hill is at the road that intersects with the road that also serves as the border.

The records for both the Stewarts and Washington Lee were listed between Harding and Fairfax on the map, suggesting that they were living on the curve of the road.

This is in the approximate area of modern Kettering, MD, which is roughly east of the interchange of Central Ave and I-495.

The landowners owned large parcels of lands with hundreds of acres and worth tens of thousands of dollars. This suggested that they needed a considerable labor force to plant and harvest crops. Scanning the census records, most of the Black households are listed as farm hands suggesting that they engaged in tenant farming after the Civil War and their emancipation.

Further Research Needed:

  • Identify the members of Washington Lee’s household and possible connections to either the Lee or Stewart family
  • Identify the relationships between the members of the two Stewart households in the 1870 census

related posts

USCT Soldier in the 23rd Regiment

Washington Lee of Prince George’s County

Washington Lee served during the Civil War as a private in Co F of the 23rd Regiment of the United States Colored Troops.

U.S., Colored Troops Military Service Records, 1863-1865 | ancestry.com

The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Compiled Military Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served with the United States Colored Troops: Infantry Organizations, 20th through 25th;Microfilm Serial: M1823; Microfilm Roll: 62

Enlistment Papers from Compiled Military Service Records | fold3.com

NARA M1823. Compiled military service records of volunteer Union soldiers belonging to the 20th through 25th infantry units organized for service with the United States Colored Troops (USCT).

Summary of Service

Washington was enlisted in Washington DC by Capt. Sheetz for a term of three years in March of 1864. The regiment was organized at Camp Casey from Nov 63 to June 64. The 23rd Regiment guarded wagon trains and then participated in the Siege of Petersburg.

His muster roll indicates he was sick in July & Aug; by September, his service records indicate he was hospitalized as a result of wounds received in action (30 July 1864). This date corresponds to the Battle of Crater when a mine was exploded creating a crater near enemy lines in Petersburg. His discharge papers say that he had been sick with “general dropsy of the kidney” since June 1864.

His records indicate that he spent time in Summit House G.H. in Pennsylvania, PA. By Nov 1865, he was discharged from Whitehall US Gen Hospital in Buckshire Co., PA with a disability.

National Park Service | nps.gov | 23rd Regiment, United States Colored Infantry of UNITED STATES COLORED TROOPS

Hospital Records from compiled military service records | fold3.com

NARA M1823. Compiled military service records of volunteer Union soldiers belonging to the 20th through 25th infantry units organized for service with the United States Colored Troops (USCT).

Additional Information

Based on the information from his service records, Washington Lee was born in Prince George’s County around 1844, where he had worked as a laborer. He was five feet and two and half inches tall with dark hair, dark eyes and dark skin. There are no remarks about his status, either enslaved or free.

His hospital records indicate his nearest relative is Emily Lee who lives in DC.

Certificate of Disability Discharge from compiled military service records | fold3.com

NARA M1823. Compiled military service records of volunteer Union soldiers belonging to the 20th through 25th infantry units organized for service with the United States Colored Troops (USCT).

Further Research Needed:

  • Search records in District of Columbia Freedmen’s Records for Emily Lee
  • Search 1870 & 1880 census records for Emily Lee in both DC and PG county
  • Search 1870 census records for Washington Lee in both DC and PG county
  • Search PG Slave Statistics for Emily Lee and Washington Lee

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