Originally published in the Cecil Whig
These days, elections are run by computers. From the moment a voter marks an electronic ballot till that vote is tallied in the voter registration databank, seldom is there reason for human intervention. Such was not the case one hundred years ago. Then information about voters and their voting habits were kept by hand, neatly written in Registers of Voters books. These Registers of Voters books at the Historical Society of Cecil County span the years 1914 to the 1980s, however, not all years survive and not all voting districts are represented for every year. Still, they are another resource for both the genealogist and the history researcher seeking information on long lost ancestors or the voting habits of Cecil Countians from decades gone by.
Each book contains page after page of spreadsheets with headings that list the voter’s residence, name, party affiliation, age, place of birth, color, how long the voter has lived in the district, if they are native or naturalized citizens, their literacy, the voter’s signature, and finally, the years and elections in which the voter participated.
For example, in the Registers of Voters book for the town of Elkton, covering the years 1914 to 1918, there is registration information for Civil War hero, Isaac Davis. Davis, a rising star in the Union Army, achieved the rank of Lt. Colonel. After brief service along the Mexican border after the war, Davis returned to Elkton to become a banker, sometimes politician, and both director and treasurer of the Keys and Miller Lumber Company. He is 72 years old in 1914 and is registered as a Republican. He voted in every election, both primary and general, from 1914 to 1918. His signature graces the book verifying the information he provided.
Two other Civil War heroes also appear on the pages of the Elkton voters book. They are Private Enoch Harris, age 69, and Corporal George W. Milburn, age 70 in 1914. Both men served in Regiments of the United States Colored troops (USCT). After the war, they were registered Republicans and they too voted in every election between 1914 and 1918 except for Milburn who died in 1917.
In addition to his war service, Harris is also known for his term as president of the Elkton “colored” branch of the Grand Army of the Republic. George Milburn, meanwhile, was also a member of the GAR, and owned a seafood restaurant in Elkton, specializing in oysters.
All of this information is valuable for many different reasons, but perhaps the most significant item in the book for Harris and Milburn was their signatures. Before reviewing these voter books, this reporter had only seen the signature of one other USCT from Cecil County. To see and run my finger over their handwriting, provided a unique connection, not only to the past in general, but two men who over came tremendous odds on the battlefield and at home to become property owners, entrepreneurs, and perhaps most importantly, voters.
All of the Registers of Voters books are available to the public at the Historical Society of Cecil County during regular business hours. Please see our web site at www.cecilhistory.org for more information.