Why I love W. D. Pigott, Or, A Snapshot of the 1851/52 Fitzroy Census

Who was William D. Pigott?

He was the man chosen to enumerate the township of Fitzroy, Carleton county, Canada West for the 1851/1852 census.  He was born circa 1795 in Dysart, [Queens co.?] Ireland and listed his occupation as "Officer [of?] Ordnance".  His wife was Eliza ?, born circa 1811 in Belcarrig, co. Wexford, Ireland.  Eight children are listed with the couple, ranging in age from 16 to 2, with birthplaces in Malta (2), Ireland (4) and Canada (2).  They also had a servant in the household, an Ellen Haridley, born circa 1811 in Tipperary, Ireland.   

Why do I love him?

Because of the gold mine he left for Fitzroy researchers.  He apparently didn't get the memo for the "less is more" approach, nor the directive that enumerators must have bad handwriting (though he does love the occasional squiggle and loop).

When it came to noting the birthplace of people, he wrote not only the country, but also (usually) the shire/county.

  

(click to enlarge)

Census of 1851, Canada West, District of Carleton, sub-district of Fitzroy (township),

schedule A (personal census), p. 10d, 11a (otherwise known as page 21),

LAC (accessed at Collections Canada, 14 January 2010)

For those born in Canada West (as Ontario was at that time known as), he even noted the specific place or township.  (see above example)

Sometimes, he even included further information.

(click to enlarge)

Census of 1851, Canada West, District of Carleton, sub-district of Fitzroy (township),

schedule A (personal census), p. 51d, 52a (otherwise known as page 103),

LAC (accessed at Collections Canada, 14 January 2010)

The birth locations circled in this example are the townlands of Cloughjordan and Toomyvara (spelled as Toomavarah), both located in Tipperary co., Ireland.