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Research object · BT-CLM-00086

What do census records indicate about Laura Tolliver Smith's literacy?

Under Investigation· 4 sourcesLast reviewed August 8, 2026
Research & Interpretation byAmberly R. Carter-Mills— Founder, Creator & Descendant Archivist

The Claim

Federal census records between 1870 and 1910 report Laura Tolliver Smith's literacy inconsistently.

Public Summary

Three compiled census entries reportedly indicate that Laura could read but could not write; the 1900 entry reportedly indicates she could do neither. The original images have not yet been reviewed inside BEFORE TILL.

Evidence Reviewed

  • Partially SupportsModerate

    Compiled research reports the 1910 census as indicating that Laura could read but could not write. ORIGINAL IMAGE VERIFICATION NEEDED.

    Source: 1910 U.S. Census — Mayharris, Copiah County, Mississippi · FamilySearch

  • ContradictsModerate

    Compiled research reports the 1900 census as indicating that Laura could neither read nor write. ORIGINAL IMAGE VERIFICATION NEEDED.

    Source: 1900 U.S. Census — Mount Hope, Copiah County, Mississippi · FamilySearch

    This entry conflicts with the other three compiled entries. It is preserved rather than discarded.

  • Partially SupportsModerate

    John Smith and Laura V. Smith each carry a mark in column 23 (cannot write) and no mark in column 22 (cannot read). Read from the original page image: both are recorded as able to read and unable to write.

    lines 29 and 30, columns 22-23: column 22 blank, column 23 marked

    Source: 1880 U.S. Census — Rose Hill Precinct, Copiah County, Mississippi · FamilySearch / National Archives and Records Administration

  • Partially SupportsModerate

    The original page has now been read. Laura's line carries a single mark in the education columns, which the archive reads as column 17, "cannot write" - leaving column 16, "cannot read", unmarked. On the same page, Bettie's and John's lines each carry two marks. The reading is consistent with the compiled research report that Laura could read but could not write. The marks are small and faint, and the reading is the archive's transcription of the page rather than a certainty.

    Smith Laura | 18 | F | M | Miss | [one mark in the education columns]

    Source: 1870 U.S. Census — Copiah County, Mississippi · FamilySearch / National Archives and Records Administration

The Evidence Trail

Step 1 · Claim

What do census records indicate about Laura Tolliver Smith's literacy?

Under Investigation· 4 sources

BT-CLM-00086

Federal census records between 1870 and 1910 report Laura Tolliver Smith's literacy inconsistently.

Step 2 · Evidence & Source

  1. Partially Supports · Moderate weight

    Compiled research reports the 1910 census as indicating that Laura could read but could not write. ORIGINAL IMAGE VERIFICATION NEEDED.

    1910 U.S. Census — Mayharris, Copiah County, Mississippi · FamilySearch · p. 5A (penned), dwelling 77, family 77 · Digital Image

    BT-EVD-00074 ← BT-SRC-00039

  2. Contradicts · Moderate weight

    Compiled research reports the 1900 census as indicating that Laura could neither read nor write. ORIGINAL IMAGE VERIFICATION NEEDED.

    1900 U.S. Census — Mount Hope, Copiah County, Mississippi · FamilySearch · p. 7B (penned), dwelling 147, family 150 · Digital Image

    BT-EVD-00066 ← BT-SRC-00038

    Researcher interpretation · Amberly R. Carter-Mills

    This entry conflicts with the other three compiled entries. It is preserved rather than discarded.

  3. Partially Supports · Moderate weight

    John Smith and Laura V. Smith each carry a mark in column 23 (cannot write) and no mark in column 22 (cannot read). Read from the original page image: both are recorded as able to read and unable to write.

    “lines 29 and 30, columns 22-23: column 22 blank, column 23 marked”

    1880 U.S. Census — Rose Hill Precinct, Copiah County, Mississippi · FamilySearch / National Archives and Records Administration · p. 33A (penned), dwelling 288, family 288 · Digital Image

    BT-EVD-00058 ← BT-SRC-00037

  4. Partially Supports · Moderate weight

    The original page has now been read. Laura's line carries a single mark in the education columns, which the archive reads as column 17, "cannot write" - leaving column 16, "cannot read", unmarked. On the same page, Bettie's and John's lines each carry two marks. The reading is consistent with the compiled research report that Laura could read but could not write. The marks are small and faint, and the reading is the archive's transcription of the page rather than a certainty.

    “Smith Laura | 18 | F | M | Miss | [one mark in the education columns]”

    1870 U.S. Census — Copiah County, Mississippi · FamilySearch / National Archives and Records Administration · p. 109 (penned), dwelling 786, family 773, line 34 · Digital Image

    BT-EVD-00054 ← BT-SRC-00036

Step 3 · Conclusion

Under InvestigationVersion 1 · Current · Medium confidence

Researcher interpretation · Amberly R. Carter-Mills

Available census reports are inconsistent regarding Laura Smith's literacy. Three currently compiled census entries reportedly indicate that she could read but could not write, while the 1900 census reportedly indicates that she could neither read nor write. Census literacy reporting should be evaluated cautiously and the original images should be reviewed before drawing a definitive conclusion.

What is not known: What the original images actually record, who supplied the household's information in each year, and how the enumerator interpreted the literacy columns.

What could change this: Review all four original census images inside BEFORE TILL and record what each column states.

How the Evidence Sits Together

What supports the claim

Observations that carry the claim forward.

  • Compiled research reports the 1910 census as indicating that Laura could read but could not write. ORIGINAL IMAGE VERIFICATION NEEDED.

    Partially Supports · Moderate weight

    1910 U.S. Census — Mayharris, Copiah County, Mississippi

  • John Smith and Laura V. Smith each carry a mark in column 23 (cannot write) and no mark in column 22 (cannot read). Read from the original page image: both are recorded as able to read and unable to write.

    lines 29 and 30, columns 22-23: column 22 blank, column 23 marked

    Partially Supports · Moderate weight

    1880 U.S. Census — Rose Hill Precinct, Copiah County, Mississippi

  • The original page has now been read. Laura's line carries a single mark in the education columns, which the archive reads as column 17, "cannot write" - leaving column 16, "cannot read", unmarked. On the same page, Bettie's and John's lines each carry two marks. The reading is consistent with the compiled research report that Laura could read but could not write. The marks are small and faint, and the reading is the archive's transcription of the page rather than a certainty.

    Smith Laura | 18 | F | M | Miss | [one mark in the education columns]

    Partially Supports · Moderate weight

    1870 U.S. Census — Copiah County, Mississippi

What complicates or contradicts it

Kept in view rather than discarded.

  • Compiled research reports the 1900 census as indicating that Laura could neither read nor write. ORIGINAL IMAGE VERIFICATION NEEDED.

    Contradicts · Moderate weight

    1900 U.S. Census — Mount Hope, Copiah County, Mississippi

    This entry conflicts with the other three compiled entries. It is preserved rather than discarded.

What only provides context

Consistent, but not identifying or probative on its own.

  • Nothing in this column for this claim.

Research Conclusion

Under InvestigationVersion 1 · Current

Available census reports are inconsistent regarding Laura Smith's literacy. Three currently compiled census entries reportedly indicate that she could read but could not write, while the 1900 census reportedly indicates that she could neither read nor write. Census literacy reporting should be evaluated cautiously and the original images should be reviewed before drawing a definitive conclusion.

What is known: Four census entries carry literacy observations for Laura, compiled from prior research.

What is not known: What the original images actually record, who supplied the household's information in each year, and how the enumerator interpreted the literacy columns.

Future research: Review all four original census images inside BEFORE TILL and record what each column states.

Amberly's Research Notes

From the research notebook ofAmberly R. Carter-Mills— Founder, Creator & Descendant Archivist

What We Still Need to Find

What do the original census images show, and who reported the household's information in each year?

Provenance, Access and Use

Source creator
Varies by record — see each source
Who made the original record.
Researcher of record
Amberly R. Carter-Mills — Founder, Creator & Descendant Archivist
Located, transcribed, weighed and interpreted the evidence.
Publishing archive
BEFORE TILL: The Living Evidence Archive
Holds the object, its identifiers and its revision history.

1910 U.S. Census — Mayharris, Copiah County, Mississippi

BT-SRC-00039
Evidentiary weight 3 of 4. Digital image of original recordOriginal image: Citation entered — image review pendingA photographic image of a contemporary record held by the repository named below.
Creator
Not recorded
Date created
Not recorded
Repository
FamilySearch
Collection
U.S. census, Copiah County, Mississippi, population schedule, Mayharris
Record form
Digital Image
Source type
Census
Accessed
Not recorded

Access and use

No rights statement has been recorded for this source. Verify rights with the holding repository before republication.

BEFORE TILL publishes description, transcription and analysis. Reuse of the underlying record is governed by the holding repository. Cite this archive by its persistent identifier when quoting our reading of the record.

1900 U.S. Census — Mount Hope, Copiah County, Mississippi

BT-SRC-00038
Evidentiary weight 3 of 4. Digital image of original recordOriginal image: Citation entered — image review pendingA photographic image of a contemporary record held by the repository named below.
Creator
Not recorded
Date created
Not recorded
Repository
FamilySearch
Collection
U.S. census, Copiah County, Mississippi, population schedule, Mount Hope
Record form
Digital Image
Source type
Census
Accessed
Not recorded

Access and use

No rights statement has been recorded for this source. Verify rights with the holding repository before republication.

BEFORE TILL publishes description, transcription and analysis. Reuse of the underlying record is governed by the holding repository. Cite this archive by its persistent identifier when quoting our reading of the record.

1880 U.S. Census — Rose Hill Precinct, Copiah County, Mississippi

BT-SRC-00037
Evidentiary weight 3 of 4. Digital image of original recordOriginal image: Citation entered — image review pendingA photographic image of a contemporary record held by the repository named below.
Creator
Not recorded
Date created
Not recorded
Repository
FamilySearch / National Archives and Records Administration
Collection
1880 U.S. census population schedules (NARA T9, roll 645)
Record form
Digital Image
Source type
Census
Accessed
Not recorded

Access and use

No rights statement has been recorded for this source. Verify rights with the holding repository before republication.

BEFORE TILL publishes description, transcription and analysis. Reuse of the underlying record is governed by the holding repository. Cite this archive by its persistent identifier when quoting our reading of the record.

1870 U.S. Census — Copiah County, Mississippi

BT-SRC-00036
Evidentiary weight 3 of 4. Digital image of original recordOriginal image: Citation entered — image review pendingA photographic image of a contemporary record held by the repository named below.
Creator
Not recorded
Date created
Not recorded
Repository
FamilySearch / National Archives and Records Administration
Collection
U.S. census, Copiah County, Mississippi, population schedule, Townships 9 & 10 (Post Office Hazlehurst)
Record form
Digital Image
Source type
Census
Accessed
Not recorded

Access and use

No rights statement has been recorded for this source. Verify rights with the holding repository before republication.

BEFORE TILL publishes description, transcription and analysis. Reuse of the underlying record is governed by the holding repository. Cite this archive by its persistent identifier when quoting our reading of the record.

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