William Sharp family: not there or not counted? 1860 U.S. census, Pope Co., IL - Part 1

William Sharp and his family have left a consistent record in the U.S. and Illinois state censuses, from 1840 to 1880. The only exception is their absence in the 1860 U.S. census. Careful scrutiny of the 1860 U.S. census for Pope County, Illinois [1], line by line, does not reveal a William Sharp household. Also, the 1860 agricultural schedule [2] does not list them. What should we conclude?

W.C. Sharp household, 1865 Illinois State Census, Pope Co.

This 1865 enumeration follows a decade after the family appeared in the 1855 Illinois State census. The census only gives the name of the head of household; the other members of the household are counted in several age brackets as shown below. A single census line spanning two pages (assigned a single page number) represents this family [1], and is rendered vertically below ...

W.C. Sharp household, 1855 Illinois State Census, Pope Co.

[Originally published: February 18, 2013]
This 1855 census enumeration [1] follows a few months after the family moved to their Pope County residence. The census only gives the name of the head of household; the other members of the household are counted in several age brackets as shown below. A single census line spanning two pages represents this family, and is rendered vertically below ...

A Brief Survey of the Laws Governing the Illinois State Census Enumeration

When evaluating Illinois state census records from 1845, 1855, and 1865, it helps to understand the laws which governed when and how the census was collected. Many of the early legislative references are available online, such as the Illinois Revised Statutes of 1845. So in addition to summarizing them here, the references provided will make it easier to track down and consult the original documents.

William C. Sharp household, 1880 U.S. Census, Livingston Co., KY

At the time of this census enumeration, the William C. Sharp family had been living at their Livingston County, Kentucky farm for about 10 years.  Here, is the extract of the household enumerated in 1880, lines 38 to 45...