Chapter 36
pages 199 - 204

POPULATION AT DIFFERENT TIMES.

     The first census of Illinois was taken in 1810, when the whole population, including a few blacks, but no Indians, was 12,450. In 1820, it was 55,128. In 1830, it was 158,232. In 1840, it was 471,515. In 1850, it was 876,038: males, 445,544; females, 400,490; excess of males, 45,054.
     The population of Peoria county for the first four quinquennial censuses was as follows:
        1825, by Bogardus: 1236;
        1830, by Isaac Waters: 1792;
        1835, by William Compher:3199;
        1840, by A. W. Harkness: 7041.
     The census taken by Bogardus included all the country then attached to Peoria— Chicago, Galena, etc.; but the other three included Peoria county as it now exists. Why the county was at the expense of taking the census in 1830 and 1840 is not apparent, for in those years the general government took the census of the whole United States, which, when taken, was at the service of every one.
     Some idea may be formed of the advance of population from 1826 to 1843, inclusive, from the following table of the votes cast in Peoria county in those years:

1826, in August: 184 
1827, "      "     : 17
1828, "      "     : 65 
1830, "      "     : 53
1831, "      "     : 100 
1832, "      "     : 141
1834, "      "     : 223    
1835, "      "     : 283
1836, "      "     : 294
1837, "      "     : 399
1838, "      "     : 490
1839, "      "     : 1042

     The tables from which the above is taken were professedly deficient as to the years 1829 and 1833, and hence I omit them; and I suppose they are deficient as to the years 1827, 1828, and 1830. In ascertaining the number of population from the number of votes, it is usual to multiply by five; but this rule is not reliable, for voters frequently fail to go to elections. Although at the Congressional election in August, 1836, the vote was 294, yet at the Presidential election in November of the same year the vote was 531.
In January, 1844, Mr. Drown, under the authority (as I suppose) of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Peoria, took the census of said town, and reported the same at 1619.
     I suspect the above is an overestimate, for he was always thought to be inclined to overestimate the population of our city, as was proved by the census he took in 1850, when Hon. H. S. Austin, employed by the General Government, took it the same year, and made it out much less. In fact, there is always so great a difference between the reports of different persons employed to take any census, that we can only approximate at the truth.
     The following table shows the number of voters in the City of Peoria in the years 1845, 1846, 1847, 1848,1849, and 1850 (provided, at the adoption of the present constitution, in 1848, they were actual residents, and if they have come in since, they have become naturalized), and the state or country in which they were born. Any table of votes actually given in those years will show a less number, for there are usually some who neglect to attend elections.

     In June, 1855, the County Commissioners' Court employed Mr. Drown to take the census of the county, and in November he made a report of his work; and, as he had been censured before for too inflated a report, he took the precaution to make them spread on their record a vote of approval of this report. I extract from it the following:

 

     He also reported that, exclusive of these, who were white people, there were in the city 44 colored males, and 58 colored females, and in the whole county there were 49 colored males, and 59 colored females.
     An approximate opinion of the increase of population may be formed from the votes given at different times for public offices:

ln 1862, the vote of Peoria Co. on Treasurer was: 5821
In 1864, the vote of Peoria Co. on President was: 7275
In 1866, the vote of Peoria Co. on Cong'sman was: 7354
In 1868, the vote of Peoria Co. on President was: 8464
In 1869, the vote of Peoria Co. on Co. Judge was: 6338
At the same time the vote on Co. Clerk was: 6383

     In the last above election the vote was not full. The Democrats manifestly did not all vote, or they would have defeated the two successful candidates (Judge Yates and Colonel McClure). These gentlemen are Republicans and were elected, while it is well known that the Democrats have a majority in the county. I suppose Peoria county could now give 10,000 votes.
     In 1864, W. E. Robinson, in the employ of the City of Peoria, took the census of the city, and made return as follows:

Males over 21 years of age: 4164
Females over 21 years of age: 4153
Males under 21 years of age: 4266
Females under 21 years of age: 4644

     With this the Board of Aldermen were dissatisfied, believing he had missed a good many, and afterward, on that account, they declined to employ him again in that service. In 1868 they employed John C. Mulvihill in that service, and he reported the whole number at 21,829. This was thought to be worse than the other, it being; the opinion of the city fathers that we had a much greater population than this.
The following table will show the population of Peoria from 1844 to 1849, inclusive:

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