2026 - What the Census Suggests -

 The Thomas & Eliza Larkins Family – My 3^rd Great Aunt & Uncle

Lineage - Nancy Simmons, Josephine Martin, Edward Martin, Francis Martin, Elizabeth Larkins, William Larkins’ brother& wife, Thomas & Eliza (Martin) Larkins

Eliza (Martin) 1836-1923 and Thomas Larkins 1824-1911
Photo enhanced withChatGPT

The 1880 Federal Census for Springwells, Wayne County, Michigan, appears unremarkable at a glance. It lists my 3rd great-uncle, Thomas Larkins, a 52-year-old farmer who, like many men of his era, could neither read nor write. Born in Michigan in 1824 to Irish immigrants, he lived with his wife, Eliza (Martin), and their four young sons: Thomas (10), George (8), William (5), and Edward (2).

However, a closer look at the ledger reveals a more complex story hidden in the small tick marks of the "Health" columns.

1880 Federal Census - Springwells, Wayne County, Michigan 

A Quiet Discovery

Every census reflects the concerns of its era. In 1880, the form included specific inquiries regarding physical and mental health. In column 17—the slot reserved for those "deaf and dumb" there are distinct marks for three of the four Larkins children: Thomas, George, and William. Only two-year-old Edward remained unmarked.

The realization was overwhelming. In an era with limited social safety nets, Thomas and Eliza were raising three children with significant disabilities.

To dig deeper, I turned to the 1880 Supplemental Schedules of Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes (the "DDD" Schedule). This specialized census provides heartbreakingly blunt categories for the era: "Insane, Idiots, Deaf-mutes, Blind, Paupers, Homeless Children, and Prisoners."

1880 Federal Census Schedules of Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes 

The supplemental record for the Larkins family confirms the diagnosis: all three boys had been deaf since birth. Critically, it also notes that they had never been institutionalized. In a time when many families were pressured to send children with disabilities to state asylums, Thomas and Eliza kept their sons at home.

Resilience Across the Decades

Because the 1890 census was tragically destroyed by fire, we have a twenty-year gap in the family’s story. When the curtain rises again in the 1900 and 1910 censuses, the narrative shifts from one of struggle to one of remarkable resilience.

By 1910, Thomas was 86 and Eliza was 76. All four sons—including Joseph (likely the Edward of the 1880 census)—were still living at home or on the family land. The most incredible revelation? Every single son was now listed as being able to read and write. Despite their inability to hear or speak, the Larkins boys had gained the literacy their father never had. They also possessed trade skills that allowed them to contribute to their community:

• Thomas: Farmer
• George: Cabinet Maker
• William: Bee-keeper
• Joseph: Brick Maker

1910 Federal Census - Springwells, Wayne County, Michigan 

A Legacy of Care

The 1880 census suggested a family facing a bleak future. However, the subsequent decades prove that Thomas and Eliza provided a home where their sons didn't just survive—they thrived. They learned to communicate, they learned to work, and they remained a cohesive unit.

The family’s journey eventually came to a quiet end in Detroit. Thomas passed away in 1911 at the age of 87, followed by Eliza in 1923. One by one, their sons followed: William in 1924, Thomas in 1951, George in 1958, and Joseph in 1972. Today, they are all buried together in Section L of Woodmere Cemetery—a final, silent testament to a family that stayed together against the odds.

LARKINS - Family Monument Stone
Woodmere Cemetery, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
Larkins Family buried in Section L

Sources:

1880 Federal Census (Population Schedule)

Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

• Specific Entry: Michigan, Wayne County, Springwells Township, Enumeration District (ED) 263, page 364C (stamped), family 246, lines 1–6, Thomas Larkins household.

1880 Supplemental Schedule (DDD)

1880 Schedules of Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes. Michigan. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

• Specific Entry: Wayne County, Springwells, Enumeration District 263, Page 1, Line 1–3, Thomas, George, and William Larkins.

1910 Federal Census (Population Schedule)

Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910. (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

• Specific Entry: Michigan, Wayne County, Springwells Township, Enumeration District 163, Sheet 15A, family 283, Thomas Larkins household.