By IRN
Chicago, IL – As we prepare for the 2010 Census, a historian says Illinois ' first census was dubious.
In 1817, as Illinois was pushing for statehood, the last hurdle was having a population of 40,000. State historian Tom Schwartz says Nathanial Pope, the territorial delegate to Congress, was able to get Illinois census takers on the job instead of federal ones, and territorial Gov. Ninian Edwards was industrious in finding residents.
Schwartz says the first census was kept open long enough for enough residents to be "found" to qualify Illinois territory for statehood.
The highest official count never topped 34,620, but Illinois claimed 40,000, Congress didn't object, and President James Monroe signed into law statehood for Illinois.
