Re 1880 US Census for New Jersey (names mcCann, Young)

[mairepad]

For several years I have been looking for family in the 1880 US census. I know the persons involved lived in Newark, NJ before and after that census, as they show up in 1870 US, NJ state census 1875, 1885, and I have marriage records and birth records for family members and they were living there. Not all of them are in each records, but the two families seem to be well represented in Newark in that period. The two families are named McCann and Young. In 1880 they were not connected as yet.

I have looked for specific names, tried every spelling and misspelling I can devise, used wild cards, variants and broad parameters for age, place of birth and everything else. This has been an effort over several years. I have browsed the areas of the city where I thought they might be, yet have found no trace of them. I have looked in their former places of residence (Brooklyn or Jersey City) yet have had no success. I could possibly understand if one family was missing, but I find neither family. All I can think is that an area of the city was overlooked in compiling the census, and they coincidentally lived there.
I don't know whether anyone has familiarity with that census, but I am putting it out there. What might I be missing?

[*Sandra*]

HI,

It always possible that a page or two could be missing from census or it could be eligible - have you tried just the first initial for christian names  have you got some names and dates we could work with to have a look.  Many sleuths on here would take up the challenge. 

Regards
Sandra

[mairepad]

Hello Sandra,
Thanks for the reply. I've tried initials, no first name at all, only a first name (Alexander) with no last name.  Currently,  a sister and I are browsing the entire 1880 census for Newark page by page.
As for names and dates, here they are:

Alexander Young b. Manhattan, 1863  (middle name Aloysius adopted later)
parents Thomas Young b. England or Scotland, sources vary   
Susan Flannagan  b Ireland
Alexander and family are last seen as a family unit in Jersey City, NJ in 1870 census.
Thomas and Susan were both dead and buried in JC by 1875, whereupon the surviving children  Alexander, Charles, b. NY 1864  and Susannah Elizabeth (Susie) b. NJ 1871  were all in St. Mary's Orphanage Newark, NJ.  Susannah Elizabeth was still there in the 1885 NJ State Census. In 1884 Alexander married an Ann McCann in Newark and raised a family there.
We can find no other certain trace of Susie, Charles is unaccounted for after the 1880s.
I would like to know where Alexander was in 1880. He and Charles were not in the orphanage. It might make no difference, really, as he does turn up again and we know how his life proceeded after that.

As for Ann McCann's family, they settled in Brooklyn upon arriving in the US, in 1864, then resettled in Newark, NJ by the time of the 1870 Census. After that census I find traces of the family, the death certificate of son Charles in 1871, city directory listings which end by the mid 1870s, a daughter in service in Newark, (1875 NJ census) that daughter's marriage record (1877) and the birth of her 1st child.
I find nothing about Anna McCann from 1870 until her marriage in 1884. I would like to know about her. I don't know what happened to her brother Francis (b. Glasgow 1856), sister Mary or her parents John and Mary McCann (nee Hewitt).
I have gone page by page through half the 19875 NJ census for Newark (available only in the Newark library) and hope to get back there some day.
In the meantime, I would just like to know why I can't find my McCanns or Youngs in the 1880 Census, just to fill in some gaps and try to figure out what happened to John, Mary and Francis and daughter Mary McCann.

I'm not sure I have made this clear, but thanks for you attention.

Mary