So why would anyone want to see a census record if they're not "into" genealogy? It's like a snapshot of the family at that time. The census is taken during the first year of each decade, and it's interesting to see where the family lived and their circumstances. The questions are not the same every time, and earlier census records do not include much information on children and the spouse -- no names for them -- age category only. But later census documents can be quite intriguing -- how long have the parents been married, what is the occupation of each person, etc. I don't have copies of all pertinent records, by any means, but I'm gradually working on it. The most recent census available to the public is 1930.
Why would you be interested in the book if you have access to James C. Hostetler's database? I just checked the length of the book -- 1192 pages -- so most of you wouldn't be interested. But the first 75 pages or so give a lot more information on Jacob Hochstetler and his family and provide a historical context -- in Europe, in America, in the Amish church. I will be drawing on that information in future posts, but don't want to duplicate what is on the Hostetler.net site.
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