1885 Census: No Surprises

The 1885 New Mexico Territorial census is a mid-decade U.S census that could offer clues to family questions. But in the case of the Crespin-Andrea family, that record doesn’t have much new to offer. In June 1885, Crespin and family are living in Enumeration District 32, Precinct 1, in Socorro. No surprises here:
C. Torres, 40, farmer
Andrea, 32, wife
Monica, 14, daughter
Polonio, 12, son
Ignacio, 10, son
Jose, 4, son
Doloritas, 2, daughter
Moses Sanchez, 36, laborer (son-in-law)
Domitilia, 18, wife
Manuela, 10/12, daughter (that should be Marcelina)

So just for the heck of it, what else did that census show?

• For one thing, Socorro’s population included a lot of miners and people in occupations related to mining, as the town was in the midst of a mining boom.



• Andrea’s brother Julian J. Trujillo was living in the community of San Antonio with his first wife Monica and two adopted children named Pabla, 13, and Miguel 1 1/2. Julian is a lawyer.



• The mortality schedule shows many folks died that year from whooping cough, stomach disease, fever, measles, consumption and childbirth. Only one death appears to be from a shooting. The town doctors were Dr. Davis and Dr. Thorne, but very few of the dying people were under a doctor’s care. Probably the most unusual death was a 60-year-old shepherd who was killed by a falling rock.