Plunk/Plonk Households in 1790-1820 US Censuses

Since 1789, the US Constitution requires a census to determine the number of each state's members in the House of Representatives. Before each census during 1790-1820, the US Congress passed a law setting the day of enumeration as the first Monday in August. All of the following original documents are written in Lincoln County, NC.

2 August 1790

Format: Free males 16+, 0-15; Free females; Slaves

• Jacob Plunk II household: Jacob III, Jacob II (abt1748-bef1845), Susanne, Sarah, Catherine, Elizabeth, Christina Jane Kiser
  • born in Lancaster County, PA
  • Revolutionary War Patriot
• Peter Plunk household: Peter (abt1756-1824), Catherina, Elizabeth Kiser
  • born in PA
  • younger brother of Jacob II, both families lived at same homesite
• probably Jacob Plunk I household: Jacob (abt1725-aft1785), wife
  • immigrant from Germany to PA
  • moved to NC with sons
  • lived close to Peter Carpenter household
  • he and wife probably died before 1800

This page is associated with the Indian Creek area because Peter Carpenter's home is known to be 400 feet south of Indian Creek near the present-day Lincoln-Gaston county line. That is west of Long Shoals. (Carpenter 2011).

• Dr. Peter Plunk household: Jacob, John, Peter (abt1744-1791), Mary, Barbara, Catherine, Nancy, Elizabeth, Barbara[mother]
  • migrated from PA to NC
  • relation to Jacob Plunk I is unknown

4 August 1800

Format: Free white males 0-9, 10-15, 16-25, 26-44, 45+; Free white females, same; Free colored; Slaves

• Jacob Plunk II household: Joseph, Jacob III, Jacob II (abt1748-bef1845), Susanne, Sarah, Catherine, Elizabeth, Christina Jane Kiser
  • last name spelled Plank
  • Joseph born after 2 August 1790, yet his gravestone indicated 1788
• Peter Plunk household: John Jacob, Peter (abt1756-1824), Catherina, Elizabeth Kiser

• John Plunk, son of Dr. Peter Plunk, household: John (bef1774), 4 daughters, Elizabeth Shook
• Jacob Plunk, son of Dr. Peter Plunk, household: 2 sons, Jacob (abt1774-abt1824), 1 daughter, Catherine

6 August 1810

Format: same as 1800, supplemented with what appears to be non-census tax-paid checkmarks and acreage ownership

• Jacob Plunk II household: Joseph, Jacob III, Jacob II (abt1748-bef1845), Susanne, Sarah, Catherine, Elizabeth, Christina Jane Kiser

• Peter Plunk household: John Jacob, Peter (abt1756-1824), Catherina, Elizabeth Kiser

7 August 1820

Format: Free white males 0-9, 10-15, 16-18, 16-25, 26-44, 45+; Free white females 0-9, 10-15, 16-25, 26-44, 45+; foreigners; engaged in agriculture, commerce, manufactures; Slaves males 0-13, 14-25, 26-44, 45+; females same; Free colored males same; females same

First census where family name was spelled Plonk.

• Joseph Plonk household: Jacob, David, Joseph (abt1790-1888), Catherine, Barbara Rudisill
  • son Jacob drowns in Indian Creek about 1831 at age 13
• Peter Plonk household: John Jacob, Peter (abt1756-1824), Elizabeth Kiser
  • Peter died 1824
  • only son John Jacob marries Sarah Tutherow and had 7 daughters, Plonk name discontinued
• Jacob Plonk II household: Jacob II (abt1748-bef1845), Elizabeth, Christina Jane Kiser
  • in April 1820, son Joseph signed maintenance bond to sustain his elderly parents, Jacob II no longer engaged in agriculture
  • Christina Jane Kiser died in 1823

• Jacob Plonk III household: Levi, Jacob III (1786-1870), Barbara A., Elizabeth, Catherine Costner

• Jacob Plunk, son of Dr. Peter Plunk, household: 5 sons, Jacob (abt1774-abt1824), 2 daughters, Catherine
  • family moved to McNairy County, TN about 1823, Jacob died soon afterwards

Sources

• Ancestory.com
• Carpenter, Robert C., 2007-2011, email correspondence
• Coulter, Phillip Plonk, 1995, The Descendants of Jacob Plonk
• Dellinger, Ann, 2006-2008, email correspondence
• Rudisill, Martha, 2006-2008, family tree data
• Plonk, William M., 1994-2008, family tree data
• Plunk, Lonnie, 2008, email correspondence, 1790 images
• Valpredo, Sheila, 2007-2008, email correspondence, 1800-1820 images