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1870 Census for Joseph Wakefield and possible kin

Here is the 1870 census for my child's 3rd great grandfather, Joseph Wakefield. Since I have uncovered that his prior slave-owner Judith Wakefield inherited him from her father, Creed Haskins, this helps in identifying this as indeed the same Joseph Wakefield.

Joseph Wakefield, age 32, Black
Mariah Wakefield, age 22, Mulatto
Kit Wakefield, age 8, Mulatto
Silvy Haskins, age 75, Black
James Haskins, age 30, Black
Ruth Haskins, age 22, Black
Eliza Haskins, age 8/12, Black

They don't appear to identify relationships in the 1870 census. One might guess that Joseph and Mariah are the parents of Kit, and that James and Ruth are the parents of Eliza. The only thing we can say for certain about Silvy is that she is 43 years older than Joseph, and 45 years older than James. It is likely she was another slave in the Haskins households. Whether she is related to Joseph or James is indeterminable. She could be a mother, grandmother, any other female relative, or completely unrelated.

Here's the 1880 census that I posted several months ago. Does the 1870 census help address any of its questions?

  • In 1880 Joseph is definitely married to Emily, and they have one daughter, Aldora.
  • Christopher is almost certainly Kit from 1870. Listed as a servant in 1880, he is likely the son of Joseph and Mariah. Though it is possible he was only the son of Mariah, and that is why he is listed as a servant here.
  • Mary isn't in the 1870 census, so it is likely that Step-Daughter is accurate, and that she is a daughter of Emily with someone else.
  • John W was born a couple years before Joseph and Emily were married. Emily could still be his mother, but it raises the question. Since we have a name for a potential first wife/partner. it is possible Mariah was his mother. We might hypothesize that she died after John W's birth. 
  • John W is my child's 2nd great grandfather
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