Tuesday's Tip ~Tax Day Came For Our Ancestors Too!

 In April of 1866, my Paternal 3rd Great Grandfather was visited by the Tax Man.
  Samuel J. Bradford,II (1815-1875)  was living in the Privateer Township section of Sumter County, SC when he was assessed $10.10 for his $125 yearly income, 2 carriages, 1 watch and a silver plate.

April 1866  S.C. Tax List
Image from Ancestry.com

Enlarged April 1866 S.C. Tax List image from Ancestry.com

And...then again in November of the same year.

November 1866 S.C. Tax List
Image from Ancestry.com

                          This time he was taxed $52.50 for his Cotton crop

Enlarged November 1866 Tax List Image From Ancestry.com

Finding our ancestors in Tax Records can help us to place them in areas in between Census years and can give us an idea of how they lived. Unlike the with the Census Taker you couldn't hide, the Taxman came and sometimes he came twice!

©Cheri Hudson Passey