Information donated by

Lou Ann & Woody Lunsford

In 1880 it is interesting to look at the census records and see the  dwellings listed in numerical order. There was a jail, dwelling  #185-202 and the following are listed at this dwelling:

W.A.G. Knight, 38, white, married, b. AL, Occupation - Jailer

Father noted as being born in GA, mother in SC.

Wife: S.J., 35, white, b. VA Her parents noted as both being b. VA

All Children noted as white, being born in TX

E.R., 14, daughter

A.J., 12, son

J.B., 8, son

Emma, 5, daughter

W. Sam, 2, son

The following also noted at this dwelling as farm laborers:

William Duke, 19, white, single, prisoner, b. TX. Parents born in TN

Ben Fewell, 29, black, married, prisoner, b. GA. Parents born in GA

Thomas Summers, 17, white, single, prisoner, b. TX. Father b. MS,mother b. TX

Ector Johnson, 25, mulatto, married, prisoner, b. AR. Parents  born in AR

Albert Owens, 28, mulatto, single, prisoner, b. TX. Father b. GA, mother b. MS. Occupation noted as school teacher

John Clark, 28, black, single, prisoner, b. LA. Parents born in MS

Mack Searls, 19, black, married, prisoner, b. TX. Parents being born in GA

C.C. Bell, 35, white, single prisoner, b. GA. Parents born in GA

Ponip? Watson, 28, black, married, prisoner, b. TX. Father b. LA,mother b. GA

Also noted in this dwelling:

J.H. Langhorne, 25, white, single, boarder, b. TX. Parents b. TN. Occupation noted as Deputy Sheriff

I just thought I would mention these, because I thought it interesting to see the dwellings around the jail. Within ten dwellings on first one side or the other side of the above  posted jail, the following occupations were noticed and I thought you   may be interested. These people probably had their business in their  homes or businesses on street level and lived above, sort of a two-story  affair as was customary for the times:

Occupations

County Judge of Rusk County

A Huckster

District Clerk

Gunsmith

Laundress

Blacksmith

Sewing Machine Agent

Grocer

Attorney at Law

Saddle & Harness maker

Hack Driver

Merchant

Constable of Rusk County

Store Clerks

Cooks