The Genealogy Corner - Census Links
The links below will take you to census images on FamilySearch.org, and an overview of each census on the Rootsweb Wiki. To view the census images, you will have to establish a free account on FamilySearch.
In the lower left corner of each image (if your screen is wide enough), you will see a box labeled "Image Index" which you can click to open a transcript of the page you are viewing. Depending on the census, the transcript may be of limited value due to phonetic spelling of names and poor handwriting of census takers. Because the FamilySearch search engine uses the transcript, you may not find the person you are looking for easily. You may need to scroll through the census images.
The 1880-1940 censuses identify areas by Enumeration District - the area assigned to one census taker. Descriptions of the Enumeration Districts are from either (1) FamilySearch.org or (2) Steve Morse's collection of genealogy utilities.
- 1940 Population Schedule. Overview.
- Atwood - Enumeration District (ED) 3-6.
- Rural Valley - Enumeration District (ED) 3-63.
- Cowanshannock Township outside Atwood and Rural Valley Boroughs bounded by (N) township line; (E) township line, State Highway 85, State Highway 338, Township Road 666, Atwood Borough limits; (S) township line; (W) Township Road 668, State Highway 225, Rural Valley Borough limits, State Highway 428; also Nu Mine - Enumeration District (ED) 3-13.
- Cowanshannock Township outside Rural Valley Borough bounded by (N) township line; (E) State Highway 428; (S) Rural Valley Borough limits, State Highway 85; (W) township line; also Yatesboro (part) - Enumeration District (ED) 3-14.
- Cowanshannock Township outside Rural Valley Borough bounded by (N) State Highway 85; (E) Rural Valley Borough limits, State Highway 225, Township Road 668; (S) township line; (W) township line; also Margaret, Yatesboro (part) - Enumeration District (ED) 3-15.
- Cowanshannock Township outside Atwood Borough bounded by (N) State Highway 85; (E) township line; (S) Atwood Borough limits; (W) Township Road 666, State Highway 338; also Sagamore - Enumeration District (ED) 3-16.
- Search the 1940 Census
- 1930 Population Schedule. Overview.
- Atwood - Enumeration District (ED) 3-4.
- Rural Valley - Enumeration District (ED) 3-45.
- Cowanshannock Township (West Part) and Yatesboro - Enumeration District (ED) 3-10.
- Cowanshannock Township (Middle Part) and Numine - Enumeration District (ED) 3-11.
- Cowanshannock Township (West Part) and Sagamore - Enumeration District (ED) 3-12.
- Search the 1930 Census
- 1920 Population Schedule. Overview.
- Atwood - Enumeration District (ED) 4.
- Rural Valley - Enumeration District (ED) 47.
- Cowanshannock Township - Sagamore Area - Enumeration District (ED) 4.
- Cowanshannock Township - Eastern Area excluding Sagamore - Enumeration District (ED) 5.
- Cowanshannock Township - Western Area - Enumeration District (ED) 6.
- Search the 1920 Census
- 1910 Population Schedule. Overview.
- Atwood - Enumeration District (ED) 9.
- Rural Valley - Enumeration District (ED) 42.
- Cowanshannock Township - Eastern Area excluding Atwood - Enumeration District (ED) 9.
- Cowanshannock Township - Sagamore and Surrounding Area - Enumeration District (ED) 10.
- Cowanshannock Township - Western Area - Enumeration District (ED) 11.
- Search the 1910 Census
- 1900 Population Schedule. Overview. Rural Valley Borough was established in 1900 but the Census included it in the Cowanshannock Township listings.
- Cowanshannock Township, South of Smicksburg Pike, including Atwood - Enumeration District (ED) 2.
- Cowanshannock Township, North of Smicksburg Pike, Sheets 1A-B7 - Enumeration District (ED) 3.
- Cowanshannock Township, North of Smicksburg Pike, Sheets 8A-10B - Enumeration District (ED) 3.
- Search the 1900 Census

Rural Valley Borough was established in 1900. The 1850-1890 censuses will include Rural Valley residents in the Cowanshannock Township listings unless otherwise noted.
- 1890 Civil War Veterans and Widows Schedule. Overview. Almost all of the 1890 census was destroyed in a fire, including the enumerations for Cowanshannock Township, but some of the veterans' schedules were spared.
- Civil War Veterans and Widows - Armstrong County. Cowanshannock Township is on images 27 through 34. The link will take you to image 27. Information includes rank, company, dates of enlistment and discharge, length of service, and remarks about disability or casualty.
- 1880. Overview. My great-great uncle, Joseph Lemon "Lem" Ewing, the census taker, listed first and middle initials instead of first and middle names for many people, which is very unhandy for genealogy research. Why, Uncle Lem, why??
- Population Schedules.
- Mortality Schedule. A list of people in Cowanshannock who had died between June 1, 1879 and May 31, 1880. Includes age, marital status, birth place, parents' birth place, occupation, month of death, cause of death and reporting doctor.
- Supplemental Schedule of Defective, Dependent and Delinquent Classes, Cowanshannock Township.

Censuses before 1880 do not have Enumeration Districts so the Cowanshannock census will usually be in one large image file. Also, censuses earlier than 1880 do not list household members' relationships to the head of household.
- 1870. Overview.
- Population Schedule.
- Cowanshannock Township.
- Search the 1870 Census. Note: the 1870 census search is difficult to use because apparently the FamilySearch indexers did not include locations within states when they transcribed. So if you search for John Stewart in Armstrong County, PA you will get all John Stewarts in Pennsylvania. Be sure to include approximate birth year and possibly family members to narrow your search.
- Mortality Schedule, Cowanshannock Township.
- Population Schedule.
- 1860. Overview.
- Population Schedule.
- Cowanshannock Township.
- Search the 1860 Census. Note: the 1860 search does not differentiate between towns within the county, so you may as well tell it the location is Armstrong County, PA if you are searching for a Cowanshannock person.
- Mortality Schedule, Cowanshannock Township.
- Population Schedule.
- 1850
- Population Schedule.
- Agricultural schedule.
Censuses before 1850 do not list every member of the household. They identify the head of the household by name, and give demographic information about the age and gender of the household members.
- 1840 Population Schedule. Overview. Cowanshannock Township was organized from Kittanning, Plumcreek and Wayne Townships in 1848, so the 1840 census will show residents of what is now Cowanshannock in those areas. (See Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Her People, Past and Present, Chicago IL, J.H. Beers and Co., 1914, Vol. 1, p. 193.)
- Kittanning Township.
- Plumcreek Township.
- Wayne Township.
- Search the 1840 Census. You can only search for the name of the head of the household. Use Armstrong County, Pennsylvania for the location since Cowanshannock Township did not exist.
- 1830 Population Schedule. Overview. Residents of what is now Cowanshannock will be shown in the Kittanning, Plumcreek and Wayne listings (see note for 1840 census).
- Kittanning Township.
- Plumcreek Township.
- Wayne Township.
- Search the 1830 Census. You can only search for the name of the head of the household. Use Armstrong County, Pennsylvania for the location since Cowanshannock Township did not exist.
- 1820 Population Schedule. Overview. As noted above, the 1830 and 1840 censuses list Cowanshannock residents in Kittanning, Plumcreek and Wayne. Because Wayne Township was organized from Plumcreek in 1821, the 1820 census will list the residents of what is now Cowanshannock in Kittanning and Plumcreek Townships.
- Kittanning Township.
- Plumcreek Township.
- Search the 1820 Census. You can only search for the name of the head of the household. Use Armstrong County, Pennsylvania for the location since Cowanshannock Township did not exist.
- 1810 Population Schedule. Overview. As noted above, the 1820 census lists the residents of what is now Cowanshannock in Kittanning and Plumcreek Townships. Plumcreek was formed from Kittanning Township in 1810 but evidently not in time for the census officials to list it separately from Kittanning. The Kittanning Township list should show residents of what is now Cowanshannock. (See History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania by Robert Walter Smith, Esq., Chicago IL, Waterman, Watkins and Co., 1883, p. 201.)
- Kittanning Township.
- Search the 1810 Census. You can only search for the name of the head of the household. Use Armstrong County, Pennsylvania for the location since Cowanshannock Township did not exist.
I need to research where the Cowanshannock area was legally located at the time of the 1800 and 1790 censuses.