As all genealogists know, the primary schedules for the 1890 United States Census were almost completely destroyed in a fire. The few that were not destroyed did not include the returns from Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
Until the present, it was generally believed that the only surviving schedules from the 1890 Census of Lykens Township, were the Veterans’ Schedules. Those schedules are available on Ancestry.com as well as other web sites that contain census information.
However, there does exist a alphabetical listing of heads of households in Lykens Township for the years 1890-1891. That listing is known as the School Tax Duplicate. A typescript of that listing, made from the original ledger sometime in the 1980s, is published in this blog post.
In 1890, Harrison Riegle, a resident of Lykens Township [and my great-great grandfather], was appointed school tax collector. His job was spelled out in the charge or warrant that was given him by Peter Klinger, then the president of the township school board. That warrant was included in the ledger along with two alphabetical listings of the actual tax amount owed by (1) property owners, and (2) tenants. The typescript of those listings includes the dog tax, which at the time was 50 cents per dog, and the fees collected from this tax were used to support education in the township. It was Riegle’s responsibility to collect the appropriate school tax and dog tax and turn all proceeds over to the treasurer of the district, Daniel Klinger Jr.
In the property owners listing, some owners were assessed for several properties, and rather than repeating the names in this blog post, a number in parenthesis indicates the number of properties, where more than one, owned by the individual.
Click on the image of any of the pages of the typescript to enlarge and save to your computer.
Note: The original ledger may now be lost. In the late 1990s, the existence of the original ledger was brought to the attention of a local historical society, who asked to borrow it for a book they were compiling on the history of Lykens Township. The original ledger was borrowed, but never returned. The local historical society was also given a copy of the typescript, which it was told it could keep. Unfortunately, it now appears that the original may be lost. It also could have been destroyed in one of the many roof leaks, floods or vermin infestations that have occurred at the site over the years. This type of negligence, in not properly caring for priceless documents as well as the building itself that houses the items, should give pause to anyone loaning materials to any organizations that do not have a proven track record of giving proper archival care to historical items or who ignorantly claim they are “preserving” items when they lack the knowledge of how to do so. Finally, there is no evidence that the information in the ledger, or the typescript, was ever used in any of the society publications.
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SCHOOL TAX DUPLICATE
Lykens Township
Dauphin County
Pennsylvania
1890–1891
Harrison Riegle, Collector
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Form of Warrant to Collector of School Tax
Dauphin County, Lykens [Township] School District
To: Harrison Riegle, Collector of Lykens Township School District in said county,
These are to authorize and require you to demand and receive of and from every person named in the annexed duplicate of school tax of said district, the sum wherewith such person stands charged; and pay the same to Daniel Klinger Jr., treasurer of said school district, and his successor in office, on or before the first day of June next, at which time abatement or allowance for mistakes or indigent persons, or unseated lands, will be made by the board of school directors, as may appear just and reasonable; and on or before the first day of June next, you will pay into the hands of said treasurer, the whole amount of the taxes charged and assessed in annexed duplicate, without further delay, except such sum as the said directors may, in their discretion, exonerate you from. An if any person shall neglect or refuse to make payment of the amount due by him for such tax within thirty days from the time of demand so made, it shall be the duty of you, the collector aforesaid, to levy such amount by distress and sale of the goods and chattels of such delinquent, giving ten days public notice of such sale by written or printed advertisements, and returning the overplus (if any there be) to the owner. An in case goods and chattels sufficient to satisfy the same, with the costs, cannot be found, you are hereby authorized to take the body of such delinquent, and convey him to the jail of the proper county, there to remain until the amount of such tax, together with the costs, shall be paid, or secured to be paid, or until he shall be otherwise discharged by due course of law: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall authorize the arrest or imprisonment for non-payment of any tax, of any female or infant, or person found by inquest to be of unsound mind. hereof fail not.
Given under my hand and seal, at Gratz, the (2) day of January, A.D., 1891.
Peter Klinger (sig.), President Board School Directors Lykens District.
Countersigned: J. D. Gise (sig.), Secretary of the Board
School Laws and Decisions of Pennsylvania, pages 257-259.
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Israel Arbagast; J. P. Artz; Elias Annspach; Franklin Beisel; David Bellis; John Bellon Sr., Henry Bickel; Peter Bishop; John Bohner; Mrs. Amelia Boyer; Joshua Boyer; Richard Butt; Elias Buffington (5); Daniel Buffington (4); Jeremiah Buffington (2); Elias Bush; Elias Bush & J. Masser; Baas & Rourffort; Joseph Banna; John E. Boyer (2); Magdalena Boddorf; Henry Carl; Charles A. Colman (2); Barbara Coleman; John Coleman estate; Daniel Coleman & M. Daniel; Daniel Coleman; J. J. Coleman (2); George Daniel (2); Simon Daniel estate (3).
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Joel Daniel; (3); A. H. Daniel (3); Israel Daniel; Isaac Daniel; William Davis; George S. Deibler (2); George W. Deibler; Jonathan Docky (2); A. F. Englebert; Zenary Erdman; Abraham Ernest; William Evittz; John Evittz; C. J. Ehman; Jeremiah Fisher; John Folk; Mrs. E. B. Fowler; Elias Fengley; F. P. Ferrie (2); George Gise (2); J. D. Gise (2); Adam Gotshall; Henry Grimms (4); John Gunderman; George M. Gise; Sarah Gotshall; Jonathan Haag; Rebecca Haag; Reiley Haag; John Haag (2).
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Daniel Haag (2); William Haag; Daniel Harman; Simon Hartman (3); Jacob Haag (2); Michael Hartman (6); Hannah Hartman (2); Emanuel Harris; Frederic Hickert; Jon Henninger (2); Sebastian Henninger; J. D. Hepler (2); John Hess (2); Henry Hess (2); Charles Hess (2); William Hoffman (2); William G. Hoffman; William Hoffman & John Hoffman; Church Hoffman; George Hoffman; Sarah A. Hoffman; J. W. Hoffman (2); Miriam Hoke; William H. Hoke; John H. Hoke; Rev. Hottenstine (2); Elias Hoover (2); Edward Hoover.
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John Hoover (2); Josiah Hoover (2); William H. Hummel; Reily Hess; R. Johns P. O.; Daniel Jury; Emanuel Klinger (3); Henry Keibach (2); Reuben Kessler (2); John W. Kopenheffer; Jacob Kopenheffer estate (2); Daniel Kopenheffer (2); Daniel B. Koppenheffer; Lydia Koppenheffir; Philip Koppenheffir (2); William S. Koppenheffir; Aaron Koppenheffir; Caroline Kissinger; Daniel Kissinger Sr. (2); Daniel Kissinger Jr. (4); Henry Kissinger (2); Jacob Kissinger (2); Amos Kissinger; Philip Koch Sr.; Daniel Klinger Sr. (3); Henry Klinger; Moses Klinger (2).
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Peter Klinger (4); Jonas Klinger; George M. Klinger; George S. Klinger; Emanuel Klinger (2); Franklin Klinger; Elias Klinger (2); Tobias Klinger; Alasender Klinger; Daniel W. Klinger; George M. Klinger; J. S. Cornelius Knorr (2); Hiram Knorr; David Kissinger; George Kissinger (2); Samuel Lesher; Henry Lehr; Dr. Linehach (2); Benjamin Leitzel (2); Joseph Laudenschlager (3); Aaron Lubolt; George Lubolt; George D. Moyer (6); Philip Moyer (2).
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Philip McKinney (5); J. Bryson McCool; Frank Music; Jacob Miller (5); John Miller; Edward Miller deceased (2); Caroline Miller; Catharine Martz; Solomon Martz; William Nimon; Jacob Novinger; Matilda Ossman (2); John Philips; John Randenbach (2); Henry Reed estate; John Reed (2); Peter Rickert estate; Elizabeth Rickert; Andrew Riegle; Harrison Riegle (2); John Riegle; Daniel Rissinger (2); Joseph Rissinger; Catharine Rissinger; Isaac Rothermel; Albert Row; Samuel Row; Elizabeth Ritzman (5).
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Abraham Rotharmel; Manassa Rotharmel; Amos Rotharmel; William Rotharmel; Isaac Romberger (2); Joseph D. Romberger (3); Benjamin Romberger (2); Anna L. Reed; Henry Salada estate; Jonatha Salada; James Salada; William H. Schoffstall; Samuel Schoffstall (2); John Snyder; Henry Snyder; Daniel E. Swalm; Washington Seabolt; Lydia Shade; John Saltzer; Samuel Saltzer (2); M. P. Schaffner; Joshua Scheifer (6); Elizabeth Scheifer; Michael Scheifer estate; William Scheifer (2); John Schefley & Isaiah Schefley (2); Jacob Shiro (2); H. B. Schreiser; Isaac Schroyer; Andrew Schmeltz Sr. (4).
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Elias Schmeltz; Daniel Schmeltz & Amos Schmeltz; Daniel Schmeltz Sr. (2); I. S. Schminkey; Rebecca Snott; Peter Snyder; Henry Snyder; Daniel Snyder estate; Daniel P. Stine; I. F. Stine (2); — Straub estate; Tobias Straub; Brady Straub; Elizabeth Strowkecker; Henry Strowkecker; Moses Stwrowkecker; Ruben Steely; William Straub; Victor E. Scheifer; Edward Schmeltz; Susan Schreiner; Elias Tobias (2); Jacob Tobias; J. P. Troutman (2); Daniel Troutman (2); James Troutman (2); John Troutman (4); Isaac Troutman & Jonas Troutman (2); Josiah Troutman; Henry L. Troutman; George Tschupp Sr.; Jonas Umholtz; John D. Umholtz estate (2); John Jacobsen Umholtz.
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Emanuel Umholtz (2); Solomon Umholtz; William Unger (2); Henry Wentzel; J. M. Wagoner; Lugetta Wolbom; Peter Wise estate; John W. Wever (4); John Wever estate (2); Peter Weaver; George Welker; G. Frank Welker; Daniel Welker (5); Henry Wiest; Franklin Wiest (2); Edward F. Wiest (2); Edwar L. Wiest; Jacob M. Wiest; Daniel Wiest & J. Haag; William Wiest; Daniel Wiest & Moses Wiest; H. B. Williard (2); J. A. Williard (4); Harrison Williard; George Williard Jr. (2); Jonathan C. Williard; Henry Williard (2); Daniel Witmer; David Witmer; Franklin Witmer.
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Elias Wolf; Samuel Wolf (3); Susanna Wolf; Daniel Wolf (4); Daniel Welker; Jacob Williard; Charles Wise; — Zittlinger (2).
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Jacob Alspach; F. D. Buffington; William F. Buffington; Michael Bowerman; Emanuel Bowerman; Frank Bellon; John Bellon; William Bellon; J. F. Boyer; H. F. Buffington; J. W. Bohner; J. A. Brown; JohnE. Boyer; Jacob Boyer; John Beirly; Charles Coleman Sr.; Peter Clemens; Thomas Cooper; Milton Daniel; U. H. Daniel; William P. Daniel; David Deitz; Benjamin Docky; G. F. Daniel; Edward Daniel; U. S. Daniel; Elias Engle; C. B. Enders; J. W. Fowler; Andrew Fox; Mary Gise; C. E. Hoffman; William Hoffman; Lewis Hoffman; John Hoffman; C. C. Hoover; Edmond Hoover; D. Frank Hoover; H. W. Henninger; J. M. Henninger; Amos Hartman; Daniel Hartman; Josias Hartman; Franklin E. Hartman; Milton A. Hartman.
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Isaac Hartman; Harvey Hess; W. H. Howard; J. A. Harman; John Hoffman; — Hoover; Brady Klinger; Daniel Klinger Jr.; John Klinger; Philip Klinger; John Knerr; Jhilip Koch Jr.; Henry Kocher; Davis Keibach; B. F. Koppenheffer; Torfredas Koppenheffer; Morris Koppenheffer; Franklin Koppenheffer; J. D. Kissinger; — Kehras; C. H. Kessler; J. F. Long; Reuben Lenker; Jacob Lenker; Josiah Lahr; Levi Miller; Gabrial Miller; J. H. Miller; Jonas Miller; Emanuel Miller; John Masser; B. L. Matter; Henry Musser; Charles Miller; John A. Miller; Solomon Martz; Washington Matter; Moses Masser; John Maxenreider; Lewis Maxenreider; Cyrus Ossman; Bureville Ossman; John Rissinger; Felix Rissinger; Harry Rickert.
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Philip Ramberger; Nathan A. Ramberger; William H. Row; William Reed; Charles E. Reed; W. H. Riegle; Daniel Reed; John Straub; Monrow Scheif; Isaiah Scheif; William H. Scheif; Jacob Shade; Elias Schoffstall; William H. Schmeltz; Jonathan Schmeltz; Andrew Schmeltz Jr.; Harry Saltzer; Oscar Saltzer; Henry Strayer; Samuel Straub; J. P. Scheif; C. M. Schmeltz; Catharine Shade; Josiah Shade Jr.; Beneville Troutman; M. H. Tschupp; George W. Tschupp; C. M. Thomas; D. L. Troutman; Charles Umholtz; Isaac Umholtz; Levi Umholtz; J. L. Williard; Michael Williard; H. W. Williard; Emanuel Weever; John Weever; Elmer Wolf; Riley Wolf; William H. Wolf; Justis W. Whitcomb; William H. Wenrich; Charles P. Wolf; John Wolf.
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Rufus Williard; F. H. Williard; George A. Welker; Daniel I. Welker; George Zittlinger.
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The final page of the typescript includes receipt for the transfer of collected money by Harrison Riegle to Daniel Klinger, treasurer, and the dates the transfer was made. It also includes a seizure of the property of Jonas Miller, a payment of $1.00 for damages to the school house (etc.), and the total amount collected for the dog tax, indicating that there were 224 dogs in the township in 1890.
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Typescript by Norman Gasbarro. Quoting from or republishing these pages in any not-for-profit publication is permitted without prior approval, provided that the source is given as www.lykensvalley.org.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.