Pala Watch

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Census Records

I have a lot of census records. I will probably be posting them over the next several days. The early ones can be hard to read as they are hand written. Also, the spelling of names can vary in each census. There really was no english spelling for Indian names and Indian words. It had to be invented.

As such, in looking at the records one will often see that a name is spelled the way it sounded. An example would be Sibimooat. There are many variations on the censuses including C.B. Mooat, Sevemootim, and Sibimooat. Anthropologists often spell it as Sivimuat wtih the plural being Sivimuatem.

Another is Owlinguish which sometimes appears as Awlwingewish. There's also alternative spellings to first names such as Michella and Miguella.

First up is the 1887 Census for Agua Caliente (Warner's Ranch). Margarita appears on page 4 as Margarita Sauvelim* (also spelled elsewhere as Sauvil, Saubel) and is listed as a Widow. Her children are listed as daughter Michalla, Esperanza, and Santiago (James).

*Note - earlier I mistook the name on the census to be Sevemooat but as a commenter pointed out the census taker spelled Sevemooat differently than the last name of Margarita. On closer look the last name is closer to Sauvelim. On the census when I zoom in close it seems to be spelled Sauvmalin or Savumalin. It's hard to tell if the 3rd to last letter is an l or a b. It's hard to tell if the last letter is an n or an m. Savumabin could also be it. It appears the census taker was trying to spell phenetically Sauvelim which is also Sauvel and Saubel.

1887 Agua Caliente (Warner's) Census

Next is the 1895 Agua Caliente Census (Warner's Ranch)

Margarita is on page 4 and is listed as page 4 Margarita Awlwingewish with children Miguella, Esperanza, Maria Antonia, and Santiago.

1895 Agua Caliente Census Warner's Ranch

Next is 1896 Agua Caliente Warner's Ranch. Margarita is on page 4 listed as page 4 Margarita Owlinguish with children Miguella, Esperanza, Maria Antonia, Santiago, and Martha.
1896 Agua Caliente Warner's Ranch

Monday, July 23, 2012

Photos

Here are some family photos. Sometimes when we focus so much on names on documents we forget these are people.

Margarita Brittain is my Great Great Grandfather. James Brittain, her son, is my Great Grandfather. Pauline Pink is James Brittain's daughter and my Grandmother.

You can click on the photos to enlarge them.