3/11/2010 4:18:00 PM
The Head Count: Census paints picture of Verde Valley 100 years ago
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Courtesy Sharlot Hall Museum
In 1910, the U.S. Census counted 2,393 people in Jerome. Many listed themselves as miners and lodgers. |
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By the end of March, homes in the Verde Valley and across the United States and American territories of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Mariana Islands will receive a letter from the federal government with a questionnaire asking 10 questions. The Federal Census has done so once every decade since the United States was founded. It is said that even the founding fathers suggested initial questions for the census.
The Constitution of the United States mandates a headcount. Population then determines Congressional representation. It also determines how money will be distributed. Today $400 million is at stake. Local governments will realize $1,000 for every person counted.
In the past, an enumerator would knock on doors with the questionnaire, sometimes repeatedly. This census will be conducted as much as possible by mail. If the home is not responsive, a second form will be sent followed by a personal visit. Even though counters hope to complete as much of the tally by mail, a lot of preparation has been done during the last 18 months to make sure workers will know where to find addresses if necessary.
To encourage people to fill out the forms, the Bureau has developed an advertising campaign with a colorful logo and themes to appeal to NASCAR and Dora the Explorer enthusiasts among others.
Today's questions include name, sex, age, date of birth, race and whether of Hispanic decent, telephone number, household relationship and whether rent or own house,
A hundred years ago, in 1910, the Census asked 32 questions. At the time, there was significant immigration and a great migration westward, as well. Questions included place of birth and place of birth of father and mother, date of immigration to the United States, citizenship and whether naturalized. A person was also asked if he could speak English and whether able to read and write as well as subjects such as occupation.
In addition to European nationalities, the Census counted 467 members of Chinese, Japanese and Indian decent. Racial extract was described as native white, foreign born white, negro and native Indian.
Since the Civil War had ended in 1865, citizens were asked if they were survivors of the Union or Confederate forces and whether they were blind and deaf and dumb.
In 1876, the nearest rail depot was in Pueblo, Colo., but a movement to establish a rail line on the 35th parallel finally brought the Atlantic & Pacific line across Northern Arizona in 1882.
Arizona was organized as a territory in 1873 and multiplied by four times during the following 20 years, much more rapidly than the United States as a whole.
In 1910, Arizona with 204,234 citizens had eight principal cities, the largest of which was Tucson with 13,193, followed by Phoenix 11,134, Bisbee 9,019, Douglas 6,437, Globe 7,083, Prescott 5,092 and the smallest Tombstone at 1,152.
Yavapai County boasted a population of 15,556.
There was no "Clarkdale" in 1910. But copper baron W.A Clark was moving his copper smelter out of Hopewell in Jerome to create an open pit mine and had acquired the Jordan Ranch near the Verde River to establish a modern smelter. Ground was broken in 1910 for the construction that was not to be completed until 1914.
The Upper Verde precinct counted 238 people, including the William Jordan family. Of six children Walter was 12 years old and George was 10. When smelter smoke forced the Jordans to end their farming and orchards near Clarkdale, George and Walter established orchards in what today has become Uptown Sedona.
At the opposite end of the Valley, Camp Verde, originally established at the end of the Civil War to protect settlers from Indian raiders, had been expanded and moved to higher ground away from beavers and malaria. The fort was eventually abandoned in 1891. Camp Verde had 269 citizens in 1910. Middle Verde had 108 residents.
Of the nine Camp Verde pages of the 1910 Census, five pages count the Native Indian population with names including Quails and Smith that remain common today. Many other names are still families, four to five generations later.
William F. Wingfield was 33 in 1910. He was born in Arizona, but his parents hailed from Virginia and Tennessee. His wife was Minnie, 21, and children included William, Harry and daughter Mildred.
Frank Dickison, 38, was a farmer with his wife Nona and their six children. His brother Robert was also part of the family in Camp Verde.
Jacob Weber was 47, born in New York of German parents. His wife Anna, 28, was born in Arizona and they had two children Raymond and Edith.
No residents were counted in "Cottonwood" precinct in 1900, but in 1910, the family names included Embry, Fain, Willard and Tissaw. Thomas Mulcaire was 38 years old that year, a miner and single. He and his parents had all been born in Ireland and he immigrated to the States in 1892.
Jerome was, by far, the largest community and home to the mining livelihood that anchored the economy.
Many of the residents were born east of the Mississippi if not in Europe. Most are listed in the Census as copper miners and often as a "lodger." Among the permanent residents was Phillip Pecharich, a 34-year-old, originally from Austria, with his wife Agnes and their 10-year-old son Jerold.
The Jerome census record is 48 hand-written pages long and included 2,393 names.
Outside the Verde Valley, 1910 was marked by the 75-year passing of Halley's Comet and Henry Ford had produced his 10,000th automobile. Portugal became a republic after King Manuel fled to England.
The German Airship Travel Corporation was founded provide Zeppelin service with government assistance. Later that year, the Wright Brothers began their first commercial flights in Ohio.
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