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Well before the Constitution was ratified, it was understood that the seven "landed" states with Western territorial claims would eventually relinquish them, but by 1790 that process was not concluded.
• Maine was a part of Massachusetts until 1820.
• Vermont was claimed by both New York and New Hampshire until 1791.
• A chunk of Ohio along Lake Erie was claimed by Connecticut as its "Western Reserve" until 1800.
• Kentucky (to 1792) and • West Virginia (to 1863) were parts of Virginia.
• Tennessee was ceded by North Carolina during the 1790 Census year.
Most of • Alabama and • Mississippi were parts of Georgia until 1802.

Click here to view a recap of ceded territories,
derived from Wikipedia (2010).



1790, the first Census
      (Actual enumeration during 1791)

TENNIS, William
      1750  >  before 1820

Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Scroll down to view the Census image.

Source:   1790, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania,
Roll M637_9, page 26, Image 25;
Family History Library Film 0568149;
ancestry.com image 14 of 25 (in 2010).

Wm [William] Tennis
2 0 3


Discussion:

  William Tennis fits within the "Born 1774 or earlier" age group because he was born c. 1750.  He is marked with a red circle on the Census image below.

No young sons are in the household in 1790 / '91.  It is reasonable to believe that, because William was then about 40, his son John Tennis, born c. 1775, may have already left home to strike out on his own.

Or perhaps son John had just turned 16 by the time the enumeration was taken in 1791, thus qualifying to appear in the "older males" category.

Alternatively, and if son John had, in fact, struck out on his own, this second male may be William's father, also named John Tennis, who was born in 1714 in Pennsylvania and lived until 1797.  He was apparently a widower by 1789.
HOWEVER, a John Tennis appears in Mifflin County as a head of household there, with two males 16 or older living with him, but no females.  That may well be "father John."

William's wife, Elizabeth (Taylor) Tennis, must be one of the three females in the household.  Her birth information is not known, but is also irrelevant to this census.

William's mother, Mary (Wilson) Tennis, is believed to have died in 1789, before this census.

Thus, the two other "free white females" counted here are not identified, but are likely young or unmarried daughters.

 

 
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