Hi everyone–what a wonderful discovery we made: Treasurer’s Warrant Register Issued to Sheriff, 1872 (when the county begins) to 1887 (when the ancestor is living in California). Most counties have a similar record, although it may be called something different. You can see me in the picture (on website) examining this record.
Here, the Sheriff is given the authority to find the taxpayer and collect the taxes due. And if necessary, he can seize property on this warrant and sell it for the tax money. So the lists include everyone who has not paid their taxes on time with a notation in the “remarks” column like “left the county.” “Gone West.” “Moved to Jefferson County.” “Left for the Gold fields.”
The delinquent lists often seem more complete than the original tax roll.
You can match this information to other tax records–assessment rolls, tax lists which record personal or real property and the amount of taxes paid, delinquent books including who purchases or redeems the property–and to the data you already have. Then you can look for your ancestor in more, sources along the migration trail.
Tune in tomorrow to discover what we found at the St. Louis Public Library–one of the best genealogy libraries in America. Your favorite genealogist, Arlene Eakle