Claus household in 1881 census

1881 census entries for Claus household in Hungerford
NameGenderAgePlace of birthReligionOriginOccupation
Claus, James M 65 Ontario C. Methodist African Farm Labourer
Claus, William M 25 Ontario C. Methodist African Farm Labourer
Claus, Mahala F 29 Ontario Episcopal Methodist African -
Caller, Sarah A. F 13 Ontario Episcopal Methodist Irish Servant
Mouck, William M 36 Ontario Episcopal Methodist German Farm Labourer

Census information on the racial identity of the Claus family of Hungerford Township is contradictory. In 1881, James and his children William and Mahala are described as African, while in 1871 (when they were living in Huntingdon Township) the family's ethnic origin is given as Irish. The family do not appear in the 1881 assessment roll for Hungerford or in the 1871 roll for Huntingdon and their location in the 1871 census is only recorded as concession one of Huntingdon, with no lot number given.

Family tree information on Ancestry suggests that James Claus was the grandson of Colonel William Claus (1765-1826), himself a grandson of Sir William Johnson (c.1715-1774), both significant figures in the history of this region.