1910

The Established Patriarch

The Census Snapshot: By 1910, 73-year-old Ransom Hunter had achieved remarkable stability and success. Still residing in River Bend, Gaston County, he now headed a household as an established patriarch with wife Maggie, a 42-year-old North Carolina native.

A Multi-Generational Family: Ransom’s household reflected a man who had built something lasting. Wife Maggie, 31 years his junior, shared their home with 18-year-old son Torrence, 10-year-old daughter Mena, and 6-year-old Johnsie. Johnsie was Mary Frieda’s daughter, making her Ransom’s step-granddaughter through his wife’s family line. This three-generation household shows Ransom not just as husband and father, but as step-grandfather – a patriarch overseeing his expanding family.

Lifetime Carolina Roots: Both of Ransom’s parents were North Carolina natives, and he had spent his entire documented life in the same township. By 1910, this geographic consistency had likely contributed to his business success and community standing.

What This Moment Reveals: At 73, Ransom had reached the pinnacle of his life – a successful businessman with a stable marriage, growing children, and now a step-granddaughter in his care. This census captures him in his golden years, having weathered the challenges of Reconstruction and built something enduring in post-Civil War America.

What Other Documents Reveal: Ransom’s marriage certificate to Maggie Wells from October 21, 1890, shows they had been married nearly 20 years by 1910 – confirming this as his most stable and lasting relationship. The marriage record identified Ransom’s parents as Mike Johnson and Judie Hunter, and Maggie’s parents as George Wells and Elmina Wells.

The 1910 census age of 73 aligns more closely with the 1900 census birth date of January 1835, suggesting Ransom’s age reporting had become more consistent in his later years. This contrasts sharply with the identical “40” ages listed in both 1870 and 1880 censuses.

Johnsie’s classification as “Mulatto” in the census indicates she had one white parent. According to family knowledge, she was Mary Frieda’s daughter with an unknown white father. By 1910, Mary Frieda (now 24) was no longer living in the household, but her daughter remained in Ransom and Maggie’s care.