Jefferson, Thomas, as Secretary of State

Return of the Whole Number of Persons within the Several Districts of the United States, according to "An Act Providing for the Enumeration of the Inhabitants of the United States;" passed March the First, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-one. Philadelphia: Printed by Childs and Swaine, 1791



8vo (8 x 4 7/8 in.; 203 x 125 mm). Signed by Jefferson ("Th: Jefferson") at the foot of the final text leaf, county portion of the Kentucky return and the whole of the South Carolina return printed on overslips and pasted to pages 51 and 54 respectively, as issued, South Carolina numbers supplied in manuscript in table of national returns on page 3; some scattered staining, some light pencil annotations in margin of page 3, neat ink annotations on the front pastedown and free endpaper referring to later censuses, fore-edge corners lightly rubbed. Original Dutch-combed marbled paper wrappers, titled in ink on the front wrapper "Census of 1790"; faded, extremities worn, spine lost but sewing secure.

Descended in the family of Gideon Granger, Postmaster General during the Jefferson administration.

AAS/Society's Chief Joys 43;  Evans 23916; Howes R220; JCB Library 2:3488; not in Streeter or Sabin

The first United States census, with the bold autograph attestation of Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. Article I of the Federal Constitution provides that representatives "be apportioned among the several States ... according to their respective numbers," and for a decennial census to furnish the enumeration necessary for such apportionment. The first census was taken pursuant to the act passed by Congress on 1 March 1790, not 1791 as erroneously indicated on the title-page (the mistake is corrected by hand in this copy). All censuses prior to 1880 were conducted under the supervision of United States marshals, who hired their own assistants to do the actual count. This first census focused solely on population, providing counts in five categories: free white males sixteen and older, free white males younger than sixteen, free white females, all other free persons, and slaves. The returns for Kentucky and South Carolina were delayed, necessitating their being printed on overslips pasted to blank spaces left for that purpose.

The first census was evidently printed in a small edition for distribution by the Secretary of States; copies are rare, particularly those signed by Jefferson.