This is the first State census for Albemarle County, Virginia, performed in 1785. It is listed here as a substitute for the 1790 Federal census (the first Federal census of the United States). The Federal census was burned in the war of 1812. This earlier State census has been substituted for the missing Federal census.
By 1785, William and Mary (Evatt) Fretwell have moved to Cumberland County, and most of their children have dispersed. Sons William and Alexander are still in Albemarle County at this time, and are counted in this census.
Perhaps more important than the presence of their names is the absence of any other Fretwell names. That is, the descendants of William and Mary (Evatt) Fretwell were the only white Fretwells living in Albemarle County at the time of this census.
I have highlighted a few other families who intertwine with the Fretwell family. I also highlighted Thomas Jefferson's entry. Indeed, William and Mary were concurrent with him, and lived in the same county.
--mof
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FIRST CENSUS OF THE UNITED STATES - Albemarle County, VA - 1785 ALBEMARLE COUNTY, VA ****************************************************************** ****************************************************************** File contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives Compiled and submitted by Sharon Barrett Kennedy "SKBC79@aol.com"
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****************************************************************** Transcribed from a document published by Government Printing Office 1908.
Transcriber’s Note: Various spelling errors seem to exist on the original document; for example, “Jerman” was almost certainly “Jarman,” and “Guayson” was probably a misspelling of “Grayson.” Despite this, I have transcribed the census as it was written in 1908.
Historical Note (on original): The Federal Census enumeration for Virginia was destroyed when the British burned the Capitol in Washington in 1812. This Albemarle List of heads of families was compiled from State census records as of the year 1785.