Isaac Rivers lived in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. There are Isaac Rivers enumerated in six Censuses in the County starting in 1790 and ending in 1840. Numerous researchers for this line have published Family Group Sheets; small family Booklets and web trees claiming that Isaac Rivers lived to the ripe old age of 108 years. I counted 29 Family trees on Ancestry showing Isaac Rivers born in 1735 and died in 1843.
He is first enumerated in the 1790 Census[1] and as the male head of household; he is listed as age 16+.
He is next enumerated in the 1800 Census[2] and as head of household the oldest male in this household presumed to be Isaac was age 26-44.
In 1810[3], the male head of household is still listed as age 26-44.
In the 1820 census[4], Chesterfield County, The male head of household for the Isaac Rivers listing is age 45 and over.
In 1830[5], we find that in the Isaac Rivers household the oldest male is listed as age 60-69. Therefore we can now say that Isaac Rivers was born between 1761 and 1770.
So to reiterate, Isaac Rivers according to the 1830 Census was born between 1761 and 1770 most likely in South Carolina. No evidence has been found to indicate he migrated here between his birth and the present 1830 Census.
Then in 1840 we find the final listing for an Isaac Rivers as head of Household in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
In this census the only Isaac Rivers listed as between the age 30-39. This is clearly a younger Isaac Rivers than the Isaac Rivers listed in the 1830 Census.
This also indicates that the elder Isaac Rivers died sometime between the enumeration of the 1830 Census and the date that the 1840 Census was taken. See listing below:
1840 United States Federal Census[6]
Source Citation: Year: 1840; Census Place:, Chesterfield, South Carolina; Roll: 510; Page: 365; Image: 1344; Family History Library Film: 0022508. |
This chart will show that Isaac was consistent in reporting his age throughout the Census years
| Census Year | 1800 | 1810 | 1820 | 1830 |
| Isaac Rivers | 26-44 | 26-44 | 45+ | 60-69 |
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| Projected Birth Year | 1756-1774 | 1766-1784 | Bef 1775 | 1761-1770 |
| Projected age | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50-59 | 60-69 |
Table 1- Age and birth projections
In summary, it's obvious based on the Census that Isaac Rivers DID NOT live to be 108 years old. While the census shows that he was born between 1761 and 1770, Table 1 above narrows his birth year to 1766-1770; he died between 1830 and 1840. In 1830, Isaac was between the ages of 60-69 years. The absence of Isaac from the 1840 Census points to the probability that he died before the 1840 Census. Therefore his maximum age would be between the age of 70 and 79 when he died.
None of these researchers have identified or mentioned a younger Isaac Rivers, born between 1801 and 1810 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. Obviously, elements of the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS) were not applied by the researchers who posted these trees on Ancestry.
This younger Isaac Rivers is not listed in the Censuses for 1850 Chesterfield County. He most likely migrated westward and could be the Isaac Rivers enumerated in the 1850 Census[7] for Cherokee County, Georgia or the Isaac Rivers listed in 1860 Census[8] for Jackson County, Mississippi.
Conclusive proof has not been found to determine if one of these men is the Isaac Rivers listed in the Chesterfield County, South Carolina 1840 Census.
[1] 1790 U S Census, St Thomas, Cheraws District, South Carolina, population schedule, St Thomas, Cheraws District, South Carolina, page 377, Household of Isaac RIVERS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 2010); citing National Archives Microfilm M637, Roll 11.
[2] 1800 U S Census, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, Chesterfield, South Carolina, page 106, Household of Isaac Rivers; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 2010); citing NARA microfilm publication M32,, Roll 47.
[3] 1810 U S Census, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, pg 554, Household of Isaac Rivers; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 2010); citing National Archives Microfilm M252_60.
[4] 1820 Census of the United States, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, page 128, Household of Isaac Rivers; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 2010); citing National Archives Microfilm M 33_119.
[5] 1830 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, page 262, Household of Isaac Rivers; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 2010); citing National Archives Microfilm M19_172.
[6] 1840 U S Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, page 365, Household of Isaac Rivers; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 2010); citing National Archives Microfilm M704_Roll 510.
[7] 1850 Census, Cherokee County, Georgia, population schedule, Division 15, Page 448B; Line 7, Household 631/632, Isaac Rivers Household; online database, Ancestry.com; (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed May 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, Roll 65
[8] 1860 Census, Jackson County, Mississippi, population schedule, No Township Listed, Page 943B; Line 37, Household 532/519, Isaac Rivers Household;online database, Ancestry.com; (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed May2011); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M653, Roll 582.
