Grayson County, Virginia Federal Census — 1880 Wilson District

Introduction

The 1880 Federal Census for Wilson District, Grayson County, VA is presented for your research convenience. This schedule contains the names of 4743 residents of the western end of Grayson County in 1880. This schedule deletes information about personal or family wealth, but adds information on the birth places of the individual’s parents, which can be a key genealogical clue in family history research. Grayson County borders North Carolina and many of the residents have connections in Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes and Surry Counties of that State, which are documented by this census. The first entry under place of birth (POB) is for the individual, the second is for the person’s father, the third is for the person’s mother. Other interesting information is presented in this schedule, but has not been presented in this transcript, which includes any disability a person may have had at the time the census taker visited the family, attendance at school, literacy, blindness, deaf & dumb people, idiotic (mentally retarded) and insane people (mentally ill people).

This was also the first census taken after reconstruction, when life began to return to normal in the South and some information on wealth would give some significant historical clues, but unfortunately, are not included.

The 1880 Grayson County Census was water stained and some of the information has become blurred and difficult to read, but it is hoped that this transcript is accurate.

Jeffrey C. Weaver
Arlington, Virginia 22204
July 15, 1992