Details of John G. McNeil’s health in 1880

My great-great-grandfather John G. McNeil was blind, disabled, and had rheumatism in the 1880 census for Wilkes County, NC. He was 47 with a wife and six children (ages 8 to 18). But wait, there’s more!

Many people are not aware that in addition to the U.S. census population schedules, which list every person in the household (starting in 1850), there are also additional schedules. The non-population agriculture schedules, mortality schedules, and several others include the 1880 Defective, Dependent and Delinquent (DDD) schedule. The DDD lists people who are insane, deaf-mute, idiotic, blind, paupers, homeless children, or prisoners.  (Note that all these terms are from 1880, not the terms we would use today.)

The DDD for North Carolina is online at the free website North Carolina Historical Scans. The schedule for Wilkes County is at https://ncscans.com/image/F1154F448V. My great-great-grandfather John G. McNeil is in the “Blind” section of the DDD (image 451):

Here is my transcription of his record:

Page 13, line 29, McNiel John G, Wilkes, not self-supporting, age 41 at onset, cause "Acute Facial Rheumatism," totally blind, has never been in an institution.

The page and line correspond to the John G. McNeil household in the 1880 population census so we know this is the same person. John was 47 in 1880 so he’s been blind 6 years.

What is “Acute Facial Rheumatism?” It’s not a standard medical term.  Rheumatoid arthritis can cause blindness. It’s not clear exactly what John’s medical issues were, we just know that he was blind and an invalid. He lived until 1899.