Joseph C. G. Kennedy
Encyclopedia
Joseph Camp Griffith Kennedy (April 1, 1813 – July 13, 1887) of Pennsylvania
, was a 19th century Whig
politician, lawyer and journalist who supervised the United States Census
for 1850 and 1860. Initially a prosperous farmer and journalist from a prominent Pennsylvania family, Kennedy was appointed to supervise the Census because of his political activism in the 1848 Pennsylvania election.
, in Meadville, Pennsylvania
. He received an M.A. in 1856, followed by an LL.D. in 1864. Upon the appointment to supervise the Census, Kennedy and his family, his wife Catherine and children Joey, John, Sallie and Annie
lived in Washington, D.C.
from 1849 until at least 1868.
On July 13, 1887, Kennedy was stabbed and killed in Washington D.C. by John Dailey who believed that Kennedy had cheated him in a business affair.
A small group of Kennedy's papers are held in the Walter Willcox Collection, Library of Congress
.
and with contentious Congressional oversight, Kennedy was responsible for the redesign of census methodology and forms, for negotiations with Congressional leaders and committees and for the gathering of census data throughout the United States. He was also responsible for supervising the ultimate compilation of census data, tabulation of statistics, and publication of census summaries.
The Seventh Census of the United States (1850) was taken 1 June 1850. This was the first year in which the census bureau attempted to count every member of every household, including women, children and slaves. Accordingly, the first slave schedules were produced in 1850. Prior to 1850, census records had only recorded the name of the head of the household and broad statistical accounting of other household members, (three children under age five, one woman between the age of 35 and 40, etc.)..
The Eighth Census of the United States (1860) estimated the population of the United States at 31,400,000. This was the first census where Native Americans in the United States
were officially counted, but only those who had 'renounced tribal rules'. That figure for the nation was 40,000. Results of this census were tabulated by 184 clerks in the Bureau of the Census.
However, by the time the 1860 census returns were ready for tabulation, the United States was moving toward the American Civil War
. As a result, Superintendent Kennedy and his staff produced only an abbreviated set of reports, which included no graphic or cartographic representations. As the war began, however, Kennedy and the Census staff used the new statistics to produce maps of Southern states for Union field commanders. These maps displayed militarily vital topics, including white population, slave population, predominant agricultural products (by county), and rail and post-road transportation routes.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, was a 19th century Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
politician, lawyer and journalist who supervised the United States Census
United States Census
The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats , electoral votes, and government program funding. The United States Census Bureau The United States Census...
for 1850 and 1860. Initially a prosperous farmer and journalist from a prominent Pennsylvania family, Kennedy was appointed to supervise the Census because of his political activism in the 1848 Pennsylvania election.
Biography
Kennedy graduated from Allegheny CollegeAllegheny College
Allegheny College is a private liberal arts college located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the town of Meadville. Founded in 1815, the college has about 2,100 undergraduate students.-Early history:...
, in Meadville, Pennsylvania
Meadville, Pennsylvania
Meadville is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city is generally considered part of the Pittsburgh Tri-State and is within 40 miles of Erie, Pennsylvania. It was the first permanent settlement in northwest Pennsylvania...
. He received an M.A. in 1856, followed by an LL.D. in 1864. Upon the appointment to supervise the Census, Kennedy and his family, his wife Catherine and children Joey, John, Sallie and Annie
Annie Bidwell
Annie Kennedy Bidwell , with her husband John Bidwell, was a pioneer and founder of society in the Sacramento Valley area of California in the 19th century. She is also known for her contributions to social causes, such as women's suffrage, the temperance movement, and education. Annie Bidwell...
lived in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
from 1849 until at least 1868.
On July 13, 1887, Kennedy was stabbed and killed in Washington D.C. by John Dailey who believed that Kennedy had cheated him in a business affair.
A small group of Kennedy's papers are held in the Walter Willcox Collection, Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
.
Census
Under the direction of the Secretary of the InteriorUnited States Secretary of the Interior
The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
and with contentious Congressional oversight, Kennedy was responsible for the redesign of census methodology and forms, for negotiations with Congressional leaders and committees and for the gathering of census data throughout the United States. He was also responsible for supervising the ultimate compilation of census data, tabulation of statistics, and publication of census summaries.
The Seventh Census of the United States (1850) was taken 1 June 1850. This was the first year in which the census bureau attempted to count every member of every household, including women, children and slaves. Accordingly, the first slave schedules were produced in 1850. Prior to 1850, census records had only recorded the name of the head of the household and broad statistical accounting of other household members, (three children under age five, one woman between the age of 35 and 40, etc.)..
The Eighth Census of the United States (1860) estimated the population of the United States at 31,400,000. This was the first census where Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
were officially counted, but only those who had 'renounced tribal rules'. That figure for the nation was 40,000. Results of this census were tabulated by 184 clerks in the Bureau of the Census.
However, by the time the 1860 census returns were ready for tabulation, the United States was moving toward the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. As a result, Superintendent Kennedy and his staff produced only an abbreviated set of reports, which included no graphic or cartographic representations. As the war began, however, Kennedy and the Census staff used the new statistics to produce maps of Southern states for Union field commanders. These maps displayed militarily vital topics, including white population, slave population, predominant agricultural products (by county), and rail and post-road transportation routes.
Publications
- Agriculture of the United States in 1860; Compiled from the Original Returns of the Eighth Census, Under the Direction of the Secretary of the Interior. Washington D. C., Government Printing Office, 1864.
- Population of the United States in 1860; compiled from the original returns of the eighth census, under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior. Washington D.C., Government printing office, 1864. complete text online, http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1860a-01.pdf
External links
Further reading
- Anderson, Margo J. The American Census: A Social History. Yale University Press, 1988. ISBN 0300047096
- Fitzpatrick, Paul J. Leading American Statisticians in the Nineteenth Century II", JASA 53 (September 1958) pp. 692–694.
- McDonald, Lois H. "Annie Kennedy Bidwell: An Intimate History." Stansbury Publishing. 2004. ISBN 0970892276