What Can We Learn About Pelham's Priory School for Girls from the 1870 Federal Census?
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The 1870 United States Census taken in the Town of Pelham reflects information about faculty, students, and workers who resided at the Priory School for Girls then conducted by sisters Anna and Adele Bolton in Bolton Priory which still stands at 7 Priory Lane, Pelham Manor, New York and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. What can we learn about the Priory School for Girls from the census data?
First, we must recognize the limitations of the data. It reflects those who resided in Bolton Priory. It is known that, over the years, some faculty members lived nearby (in New Rochelle, for example) and that there were so-called "day students" who did not reside in the Priory but nevertheless attended school there daily. Additionally, in trying to assess where those reflected in the census data were from, the only geographical data provided reflects the birthplace of each. While we may surmise that their homes remained in the states or countries of their births that, of course, might not always have been the case. Still, the data provides rough information and some interesting insights about the faculty, students, and workers at Bolton Priory in 1870.
The census data reflects six faculty members, five "Domestic Servants," and forty seven students residing at the Priory. The six resident faculty members were all women in 1870. The youngest was 22 years old while the remainder ranged in edge from 31 to 40 years old. The oldest was Anna Bolton (40 years old). Three of the women (sisters Anna and Adele Bolton who ran the school at that time and Catherine Adams) were born in England. The remaining three faculty members (Bonnie Riley, Lucy Garrigan, and Elizabeth Nelson) were born in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Alabama, respectively.
All five of the "Domestic Servants" were women. Interestingly, four of the five -- like the Bolton sisters who ran the school -- were born in England (Mary Pierson, Rachael Baxter, Mary Cribb, and Anna Burke). The fifth, Harriet Bryan, was born in Virginia.
Younger members of the Bolton Family were students, including the only boys who attended the school. Thus, among the students taught at the school at the time were Robert Bolton, John Bolton, Annie Jay Bolton, Katy Bolton, and Nanette Bolton (who later became head mistress of the school and remained as such until the school closed and she departed for Europe twelve years later in 1882). Accordingly, forty five of the students were girls and two were boys.
Students at the Priory School for Girls ranged in age between eleven and nineteen years old. The age breakdown of the forty seven students in 1870 was as follows:
11 Years Old: 3 Students
12 Years Old: 2 Students
13 Years Old: 7 Students
14 Years Old: 2 Students
15 Years Old: 10 Students
16 Years Old: 14 Students
17 Years Old: 2 Students
18 Years Old: 3 Students
19 Years Old: 4 Students
As one might expect, the largest number of students were born in, and likely remained residents of, New York (30 students, including the five Bolton family members who were students). The remaining seventeen students were born in and, perhaps, still resided in the following fifteen states and two foreign nations:
Alabama: 1
Connecticut: 1
Maryland: 1
Massachusetts: 1
Ohio: 1
Pennsylvania:5
Rhode Island: 3
Virginia: 2
England: 1
Mexico: 1
In several instances (besides the Bolton children of course), students seemed to be related to one another -- perhaps siblings. Two such students were Ann Vincent and Maria Vincent. If related, the pair may have been twins because both were listed as 18 years old. Other possibly related pairs included Gertrude Lefferts (13 years old) and Annie Lefferts (11 years old). Another pair was Hattie Rop (13 years old) and Daisy Rop (11 years old).
* * * * *
Below is a transcription of some of the most significant data contained in all Priory School for Girls entries from the 1870 United States Census taken in the Town of Pelham.
Name
|
Age
|
Sex
|
Race
|
Occupation
|
Birthplace
|
Anna
Bolton
|
40
|
F
|
White
|
Ladies
Boarding School
|
England
|
Adele
Bolton
|
36
|
F
|
White
|
Ladies
Boarding School
|
England
|
Catherine
Adams
|
30
|
F
|
White
|
Ladies
Boarding School
|
England
|
Bonnie
Riley
|
32
|
F
|
White
|
Ladies
Boarding School
|
Georgia
|
Lucy Garrigan
|
31
|
F
|
White
|
Ladies
Boarding School
|
Pennsylvania
|
Elizabeth
Nelson
|
22
|
F
|
White
|
Ladies
Boarding School
|
Alabama
|
Harriet
Bryan
|
34
|
F
|
White
|
Domestic
Servant
|
Virginia
|
Grace
Pike
|
17
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
Connecticut
|
Mary
Marple
|
19
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
Pennsylvania
|
Louisa
Odin
|
16
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
Pennsylvania
|
Florence
Carter
|
16
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Julia
Garner
|
16
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Mary
Kam
|
15
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Nettie Esteppe
|
15
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
Ohio
|
Katy Gaygaum
|
19
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
Alabama
|
Robert
Bolton
|
14
|
M
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
John
Bolton
|
13
|
M
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Annie Jay
Bolton
|
15
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Katy
Bolton
|
19
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Nanette
Bolton
|
15
|
F
|
White
|
Attending School
|
New
York
|
Harriet Nelles
|
19
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
Massachusetts
|
Annie
Washington
|
15
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
Virginia
|
Julia
Bloodgood
|
11
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Mary
Warden
|
12
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
Maryland
|
Amanda
Simpson
|
16
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
Virginia
|
Julia Shomaker
|
17
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
Mexico
|
Ada
Strong
|
16
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Kate
Seymour
|
15
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Eva
Smith
|
16
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Louisa
Johnson
|
15
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Mary
Hill
|
13
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
England
|
Mary
Pierson
|
51
|
F
|
White
|
Domestic
Servant
|
England
|
Rachael
Baxter
|
52
|
F
|
White
|
Domestic
Servant
|
England
|
Mary
Cribb
|
25
|
F
|
White
|
Domestic
Servant
|
England
|
Ann
Vincent
|
18
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Maria
Vincent
|
18
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Anna
Burke
|
46
|
F
|
White
|
Domestic
Servant
|
England
|
Gertrude
Lefferts
|
13
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Nellie
Bailey
|
13
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Kate Van
Nest
|
16
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Lillie
Pierce
|
16
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
Rhode
Island
|
Carrie
Russell
|
16
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Hattie
Burgess
|
14
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Virginia Gunth
|
13
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Mary
Bowers
|
15
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Henrietta
Temple
|
16
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Clara
Wooster
|
16
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
Rhode
Island
|
Clara
Smith
|
18
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Nellie
Bradford
|
15
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
Pennsylvania
|
Kate Crande
|
16
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Eliza
Tunis
|
13
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
Pennsylvania
|
Annie Mairau
|
16
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
Rhode
Island
|
Elizabeth
Chapman
|
15
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Arabella
Thayer
|
16
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Hattie Rop
|
13
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Daisy Rop
|
11
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
Dolly
Worden
|
12
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
Pennsylvania
|
Annie
Lefferts
|
11
|
F
|
White
|
Attending
School
|
New
York
|
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Labels: 1870, 1870 U.S. Census, Adele Bolton, Anna Bolton, Bolton Priory, Pelham Priory, Pelham Priory School for Girls, Priory, Priory School for Girls, school, schools