The Island Census of 1900

 

The census of 1900 is considered one of the most valuable of all census ever taken in the U.S.  The valuable information of 1900 is the only historical population documentation that exists between 1880 and the beginning of the new century.  The census of 1890 was destroyed in 1921 in a basement fire in the Commerce Building in Washington D.C. This unfortunate event of document damage and destruction led to the creation of a permanent National Archives.  There was some surviving 1890 census documentation, however it was destroyed in 1933 by oversight of a librarian who did not accept the census as historical records and therefore it was destroyed.

1900 was the beginning of a new century.  William McKinley was president. The second modern Olympics was being held in Paris, France.  Hawaii had become an official U.S. territory and Goose Creek Island had  been a part of Pamlico County for only 26 years.     

Here are some Goose Creek Island 'tidbits' from the 1900 Federal Census.

• William A. Carawan was the census taker of the Twelfth Census of the United States.  He gathered all of the information during the month of June 1900.
• Two women were identified as "dressmakers".  
• Twenty six men worked on the water as fishermen, oystermen, and seaman.
• Four women were recorded as being "spinsters".
• Stephen Clark and Joseph Leary were "merchants".  Rufus Alcock's occupation was recorded as "clerk"
• The vast majority of residents made their living as farmers, day laborers and farm hands.
• Most children were listed as "at school".
• Elisha Credle, Lilley V. Potter, and Joella Mayo are recorded as school teachers.
• Rob Ireland born in 1844 is listed as Light House Keeper.
• Robert Hopkins born in 1854 was Assistant Light House Keeper.
• James Spain was a "brick mason".
• Robinson Hopkins and John Lupton were the Postmasters.
• Garfield Alcock who was 19 years old at the time, listed his occupation as the "repairer of bicycles".
• Equelie Jane Spain born in 1834 was the Island "midwife" and John Clark was the Island physician.
• Goose Creek Island had two house carpenters but no boat carpenters are identified.

 All men were listed as Head of their homes and wives were listed as such.

This is just some Goose Creek Island trivia for our readers.