Book Review: Census Substitutes & State Census Records

The following book review was written by Bobbi King:

Volume 1: Northeastern States & U.S. Territories. 271 pages.

Volume 2: Southeastern States. 303 pages.

Volume 3: Northcentral States. 285 pages.

Volume 4: Southcentral & Four Corners States. 279 pages.

Volume 5: Western/Pacific States & Nationwide Chapter. 303 pages.

William Dollarhide holds an honorable and respected position within the community of authors of genealogy resource materials. His Map Guide to the U. S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920, now more than twenty-five years past first publication, holds its age well; its information is timeless and still essential. This summer I consulted ever-again my handy-dandy Map Guide as I prepared for a research trip to Iowa.

Mr. Dollarhide presents us now with a particularly well-done piece of work. Census Substitutes & State Census Records is five volumes of state and U.S. Territories resources. Each volume represents a section of the United States, and each state has a chapter beginning with a rather lengthy stretch of historical timeline background, and, not surprisingly, a map showing the boundaries of historic counties contrasted against current county boundaries. There still abounds plenty of genealogy resource information that is in print form only, lest we forget, as we casually process the digital information with ease, just how all that fantastic information got online in the first place.

The bibliographies are extensive: lists of compilations, books, databases and where to access them, microfilms and where to find them, urls for all the resources; just a plethora of resource sites and materials for the researcher, beginning and advanced.

So much information, and so nicely organized. I extend my humble compliments to Mr. Dollarhide’s cohort in crime, his friend and publisher, the exuberant and irrepressible Leland Meitzler, for producing books that are so very attractive and readable. Good color choices beckon our eyes to the covers and set apart the sections, the text is sharp against the page, bolded text is strong, and the artful use of white space gives the brain a chance to comprehend. Mr. Meitzler has a real talent for producing books that are tidy and coherent, so orderly in the presentation of content that you don’t feel the burden of studying.

You can read more detail about the series on the website. Mr. Dollarhide and Mr. Meitzler clearly still have a lot to offer, and we are much appreciative.

Census Substitutes & State Census Records, 3rd Edition, by William Dollarhide is available from the publisher, Family Roots Publishing Co., at https://bit.ly/3maVWPj.