Part 660d – Brunhammer Doherty Genealogy – 1880 and 1900 Censuses – Doherty (aka Docherty, aka Dougherty) – Wilmington, Delaware

Good Day and Happy Easter,

And don't you just love genealogy... One can get totally mixed up with names and dates, and then again there really isn't anyone around to ask which name or which date is correct. At times methinks that it is our ancestors having a great big laugh on us.

In my pursuit and current focus on the Doherty Family of Wilmington, Delaware, I've run across some more deviations in the actual spelling of this surname. The 1880 Census has the name as Doherty, and the 1900 Census changes the spelling to Dougherty.

(1880 US Census, Wilmington, Delaware)
The 1880 US Census now lists gg-grandparents Phillip and Margaret Doherty; their son Gerald; and four daughters: Gretta, Fannie, Mary A, and Lizzie all living in Wilmington at 731 Madison Street.

(1900 US Census, Wilmington, Delaware)

The 1900 US Census, 20 years later, lists gg-grandmother Margaret Dougherty, her son Gerrold, her five daughters Margaret, Fannie, Mary, Lizzie, and Katie, and her grandson Gerrold. They are all living at the family home at 731 Madison Street.

By process of elimination, and based on the surname enumerated, it would logically make sense that grandson Gerrold is the son of gg-grandmother Margaret's son, Gerrold. This grandson Gerrold is Andy's grandfather, also known as Gerald.

And now comes another piece of evidence, that should help us in our power search. I'm referring to the above page of the 1900 US Census. The enumerator listed that gg-grandmother Margaret Dougherty had had 11 children… And that at the date of the Census, June 2nd, 1900 five of the children may have passed away.

My source citations:

1880 US Census - The National Archives - Year: 1880; Census Place: Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware; Roll: 119; Family History Film: 1254119; Page: 315B; Enumeration District: 013; Image: 0111. Downloaded from Ancestry.com.

1900 US Census - Year: 1900; Census Place: Wilmington Ward 5, New Castle, Delaware; Roll: 154; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 19; FHL microfilm: 1240154; Page: B; Sheet No. 3; Enumeration District: 19; Image: 6. Downloaded from Ancestry.com.

My next piece and source of evidence is the Delaware State Directory and Gazetteer, for 1874-75. And as I am working in the updating of the Doherty Descendant Chart, I keep stumbling on more and more pertinent documentation... And NO I am not just pressing a leaf.

Stay-tuned, more to follow,

Enjoy,

Jim