Title Info: 1850, Lewis County Census, Lewis County Territorial Auditor

These records contain an index and images of the Lewis County census recorded in 1850. Some undated records have been determined to be circa 1850 Information collected in this census includes the name of each member of the household and the following categories: Age, Sex, Color (White, Black, or Mulatto), Profession/Occupation/Trade of each Male Person over 15 years of age, Value of Real Estate owned, Place of Birth (State, Territory, or Country), Married within the year, Attended School within the year, Persons over 20 years of age who cannot read & write, and Whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict.

Lewis County was created from Vancouver County in the Oregon Territory in 1845. The Organic Act in 1848 created Oregon Territory, however it was not until 1849 that the first governor, Joseph Lane, assumed duty. Per the Organic Act, a census must be performed prior to holding an election for non-appointed members of the territorial legislature. The 1850 census counted 11,873 Oregonians.