1857 Census: King County Population By Name

  • By Greg Lange
  • Posted 1/01/2000
  • HistoryLink.org Essay 1920
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In 1857, a census of King County residents is taken. The population consists of 152 persons of European American descent including

86 adult males, 23 females age 18 and over, and 43 children of whom 14 were born in King County.

There were fewer white people in King County in 1857 than there were in 1853, when a census counted 170 residents. Many new arrivals after 1853 added their numbers to these 170. But by 1857, the population had decreased. Native American attacks in 1855 and 1856 caused numerous settlers to leave. Besides this, early in 1857 Kitsap County (a center of lumbering) was created out of King County. Kitsap's population (a census was taken at the same time) was larger than that of King County.

Here is a statistical summary of the settlers of King County, their occupations, birth places, and ages, followed by a complete list of names.

Occupations

Occupations were listed for males only. Of the 23 adult females, 20 were married (and presumably did traditional women's work) and three were either widowed or divorced. One of the women was Mary Ann Conklin, aka "Mother Damnable," so called because of her colorful oath-peppered expressions, who ran Seattle's first bona fide hotel/brothel.

  • Farmer 29
  • Laborer 24
  • Sailor 7
  • Merchant 6
  • Carpenter 5
  • Doctor 3
  • Butcher 2
  • Loafing 2
  • Blacksmith 1
  • Engineer 1
  • Lawyer 1
  • Manufacturer 1
  • Millwright 1
  • Ship Carpenter 1
  • Schoolteacher 1
  • Surveyor 1

Place of Birth

(The terms Male and Female refer to adults. In this list the sex of children was not specified.)

United States:

  • Connecticut (CT) Males 2 Females/children 1
  • Georgia (GA) Females/children 1
  • Iowa (IA) Females/children 4
  • Illinois (IL) Males 2 Females/children 8
  • Indiana (IN) Males 4 Females/children 2
  • Kentucky (KY) Males 4 Females/children 1
  • Massachusetts (MA) Males 2
  • Maryland (MD) Males 1 Females/children 1
  • Maine (ME) Males 5 Females/children 2
  • Missouri (MO) Males 1 Females/children 5
  • New Jersey (NJ)Males 1
  • New York (NY) Males 16 Females/children 6
  • Ohio (OH) Males 12 Females/children 9
  • Pennsylvania (PA) Males 4 Females/children 2
  • Rhode Island (RI) Males 1
  • Tennessee (TN) Males 6 Females/children 6
  • Virginia (VA) Males 3
  • Vermont (VT) Males 2
  • Washington (WA) Females/children 14
  • Wisconsin (WI) Females/children 1
  • Plains [?] Females/children 1

Foreign countries:

  • Canada Males 1
  • Denmark Males 1
  • England Males 4 Females/children 1
  • Germany Males 3
  • Holland Males 2
  • Nova Scotia? Males 1
  • Norway Males 1
  • Scotland Males 1
  • Sweden Males 3
  • Wales Males 1
  • Unknown Males 2 Females/children 1

Age Distribution

Children (sex not given):

  • Age newborn to four -- 16
  • Age five to nine -- 16
  • Age 10-14 -- 9
  • Age 15-17 -- 2

Adults

  • Age 18-19 -- 3 males, 2 females
  • Age 20-29 -- 42 males, 11 females
  • Age 30-39 -- 23 males, 5 females
  • Age 40-49 -- 10 males, 4 females
  • Age 50-59 -- 7 males, 0 females
  • Age 60-65 -- 1 male, 1 female

King County Residents

This list includes the name, the person's sex if the name doesn't make it clear, age, occupation, marital status, and place of birth.

  • Henry Adams, 26, carpenter, single, Fairfield CT
  • James Beger [or Begor or Begen], 20, laborer, single, New York NY
  • R. M. Bigelow (male), 50, doctor, single, Bennington VT
  • T. S. Bordwell, (male), 26, laborer, single, Madison NY
  • Carson D. [Dobbins] Boren, 32, farmer, married, Robson TN
  • Mary Boren, 28, married, Park IN
  • Gertrude Boren, 6, Knox, IL
  • Wm. [William Richard] Boren, 2, King Co. WA
  • Geo. [George] Bowker, 29, farmer, Plymouth MA
  • James Broad, 29, laborer, single, New York NY
  • Ch. [Charles] Brown, 28, laborer, single, Sweden
  • Thomas Bruse [Bruce], 41, laborer, single, Boston MA
  • John Buckley, 56, farmer, married, CT
  • Eve [Eva] Buckley, 46, married, MO
  • I. B. Burlingham [Ira B. Burlingame], (male) 26, laborer, single, Smithfield RI
  • Hilory [Hillory] Butler, (male), 36, farmer, married, Raplan VA
  • Catherine Butler, 22, married, Lafayette MO
  • Ch. Carpenter, (male), 27, laborer, single, Chealouga? NY
  • John A. Chase, 41, merchant, single, Unity ME
  • E. A. [Edward A.] Clark, 29, school teacher, single, Adam PA
  • Luther M. Collins, 44, farmer, married, Oneida NY
  • Diana Collins, 40, married, NY
  • S. [Stephen] Collins, 10, Rockriver IL
  • M. A. [Mary Ann] Conklin, 46, married, Berks PA
  • David T. Denny, 25, farmer, married, Putnam IN
  • Louisa Denny, 29, married, Whites IL
  • Emily Denny, 3, King Co. WA
  • Mary J. Denny, 1, King Co. WA
  • Arthur A. Denny, 34, butcher, married, Washington IN
  • Mary [Ann] Denny, 34, married, Robson TN
  • Catherine Denny, 12, Knox IL
  • Margaret Denny, 9, Knox IL
  • Rollin H. [Rolland Herschell] Denny, (male), 6, Portland OR
  • Orrin O. Denny, 3, King Co. WA
  • Joseph Foster, 29, farmer, single, birthplace omitted from census
  • Asa Fowler, 19, laborer, single, IN
  • Miles Fowler, 25, laborer, single, Vincint IN
  • Osman [or Osmine, or Osmyn] Frost, (male), 42, laborer, single, Boyd KY
  • Geo. [George] F. Frye, 24, butcher, single, Germany
  • Wm. [William H.] Gilliam, 27, farmer, single, Yorktown VA
  • Walter Graham, 27, farmer, married, Washington NY
  • David Graham, 21, surveyor, single, Washington NY
  • Eliza Graham, 16, Bureau NY
  • Wm. [William] Greenfield, 55, merchant, single, Scotland
  • Edward Hanford, 50, farmer, married, Hamilton OH
  • Abbe J. [Abigail Jane] Hanford, 32, married, Warren OH
  • Thaddeus Hanford, 9, Van Buren IA
  • Cornelius Hanford, 8, Van Buren IA
  • F. [Frank] Hanford, 4, Van Buren IA
  • A. E. [Arthur Edward] Hanford, 2, King Co. WA
  • John Hendridge, 27, carpenter, single, Block OH
  • C. C. [Christopher C.] Hewitt, 46, lawyer, married, Montgomery NY
  • John C. Holgate, 28, farmer, single, Butler OH
  • Lemuel J. Holgate, 22, farmer, single, Butler OH
  • Elizabeth Holgate, 61, single, New Haven CT
  • Geo. [George] Holt, 43, farmer, single, England
  • Benjamin Hooper, 33, laborer, single, Burlington NJ
  • Dexter Horton, 31, merchant, married, NY
  • Hanah [Hannah] E. Horton, 28, married, Syracuse NY
  • Rebeca [Rebecca] Horton, 8, Decalb IL
  • Alfred Horton, 1 month, King Co. WA
  • Wm. [William] F. Johns, 21, laborer, single, Smith TN
  • Benjamin [W.] Johns [Bennett Wilson Johns?], 18, laborer, single, Smith TN
  • B. L. [Bennett Lewis] Johns , 46, farmer, single, Smith TN
  • Martha Johns, 16, single, Smith TN
  • Isabel Johns, 8, Scott MO
  • H. [Honora?] Johns, (female), 6, Scott MO
  • Mary A. Johns, 13, Smith TN
  • Thomas Jones, 28, laborer, single, Wales
  • Joseph Lake, 21, laborer, single, Coles IL
  • [James] Arnold Lake, 24, farmer, single, Coles IL
  • P. [Peter] Lauderville, 51, laborer, single, Montreal Canada
  • C. [Cyrus] C. Lewis, 37, farmer, married, Butler OH
  • Mary [Polly?] Lewis, 29, married, Miami OH
  • S. [Sarah] E. Lewis, 10, Oglase? OH
  • Ira Lewis, 8, Oglase? OH
  • Caroline Lewis, 3, King Co. WA
  • A. [Albert] Lewis, 8 months, King Cy, WA
  • U. [Ursula] McConaha, 29, single, Pike MO
  • G. N. [George Nelson] McConaha, 9, Lewis MO
  • U. McConaha, 7, Plains, ?
  • Eugenie [Eugenia] McConaha, (female), 4, King Co. WA
  • Francis McNatt, 36, farmer, single, Rhone TN
  • Eli B. Mapole [Mapel], (male), 24, farmer, single, Guernsey OH
  • S. A. Mapole [Samuel A. Mapel], 25, farmer, single, Guernsey OH
  • O. Martin, (male), 31, ship carpenter, single, Gardiner ME
  • Frank [Franklin] Matthias, 30, carpenter, single, Indiana PA
  • David Maurer, 34, laborer, single, School Rile PA
  • David S. Maynard, 49, doctor, married, Rutland VT
  • C. [Catherine] T. Maynard, 38, married, KY
  • Thomas Mercer, 44, farmer, single, Harrison OH
  • Susannah Mercer, 13, Bureau IL
  • Alice Mercer, 8, Bureau IL
  • L. [Lucinda Collins] Merilet, 19, married, birthplace omitted from census [Note: Lucinda Collins married L. O. Merilet, who divorced her in 1860, then married Joseph Fares, who eventually left her, and thirdly married John Gordon. John Gordon outlived her.]
  • Chas. [Charles] Miller, 35, laborer, single, Sweden
  • Chas. [Charles] Miller, 21, laborer, single, Norway
  • C. W. More [Moore], (male), 35, sailor, single, Portland ME
  • John A. Nagel [John H. Nagle], 26, farmer, single, Germany
  • D. A. Nealy [David A. Neely], 33, farmer, married, Mury TN
  • I. Nealy [Irene Neely], 31, married, Greenville GA
  • J. W. Nealy [Neely], 10, Gibson TN
  • A. S. Nealy [Neely], 8, Gibson TN
  • S. Nealy [Neely], 5, King Co. WA
  • S. E. Nealy [Neely], 2, King Co. WA
  • [Ned] Jacob Ohm, 27, sailor, single, Denmark
  • George Orr, 26, sailor, single, Buffalo NY
  • Jos. [Joseph] Overholts, 30, laborer, single, Harrison OH
  • John Philips [Phillips], 27, laborer, single, England
  • C. [Charles] Plummer, 33, merchant, married, Kenebec ME
  • E. [Ellender] L. Plummer, (female) 18, single, Wayne OH [Note: Majorie Rhodes, in her Biography Notes on Pioneers, states that in fact Ellender Smith married Charles Plummer on January 1, 1855. Ellender Plummer died in childbirth in 1859.]
  • Frank Plummer, 10 months, King Co. WA
  • Thomas Prather, 25, farmer, single, Boon MO
  • J. [James] J. Riley, 25, engineer, single, Brooklyn NY
  • John Ross, 25, millwright, single, Harrison OH
  • Samuel W. [Woodburn] Russell , 52, carpenter, married, Allegheny PA
  • Jane Russell, 49, married, Beaver PA
  • M. R. [Martha Racilla] Russell, 14, Richland OH
  • Emma Russell, 11, Decalb IN
  • Alonzo Russell, 18, laborer, single, Richland OH
  • James Sands, 21, laborer, single, Novacola? [Nova Scotia?]
  • Sidney B. Simons, (male), 36, loafing, married, Erie NY
  • E. [Angeline] C. Simons, 22, married, Rattagua? NY
  • Henry A. Smith, 27, doctor, single, Wayne OH
  • William P. Smith, 38, carpenter, married, Monmouth England
  • E. [Eliza] Smith, 38, married, Monmouth England
  • Wm. Smith, 10, Rochester NY
  • Andrew Smith, 27, sailor, single, Holland
  • Erasmus M. Smithers, 27, farmer, married, Franklin VA
  • D. [Diana] B. Smithers, 27, married, Penobscot ME
  • David Stanley [or Standler], 63, farmer, single, Logan KY
  • Jos. Sutherland, 20, loafing, single, birthplace omitted from census
  • Alfred G. Terry, 32, farmer, single, Oneida NY
  • Charles [C.] Terry, 28, merchant, married, Oneida NY
  • Mary J. [Anne] Terry, 20, married, Ashland OH
  • John [M.] Thomas, 28, farmer, married, Berlin KY
  • N. [Nancy] E. Thomas, 24, married, Ashland OH
  • M. F. Thomas, 2, King Co. WA
  • C. E. Thomas, 2 months, King Co. WA
  • J. [John] Thompson, 31, sailor, single, Sweden
  • Charles H. Tobin, 5, Penobscot ME
  • R. W. Travis, (male), 24, sailor, single, Liverpool England
  • Oliver Tripp, 35, sailor, single, Gardiner ME
  • [Ira] W. Utter, 31, farmer, single, Otsego, NY
  • Henry Van Asselt, 37, farmer, single Holland
  • Ann E. Whitmore, 27, married, Dutchess NY
  • Jane Whitmore, 9, Jefferson WI
  • Birdy Whitmore, (female), 4, Polk IA
  • Frank Whitmore, 1, King Co. WA
  • Jacob Wibens, 38, laborer, single, Germany
  • Jos. [Joseph] Williamson, 51, merchant, single, Scott KY
  • Lewis V. [Van Dyne] Wyckoff, 26, blacksmith, single, Ulster NY
  • Henry L. Yesler, 45, manufacturer, married, Washington MD

Sources:

M. C. Rhodes, An Index to Early King County Pioneers (Seattle: M. C. Rhodes, 1984), 65-69. See Also: Marjorie Rhodes, Biography Notes on King County Pioneers of Puget Sound (Seattle: Marjorie Rhodes, 1992), 149.


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