98 Hattie Plum Williams 
sinister motive in spending time, energy, and money in such work. 
Hence it was deemed best to work through the people themselves, 
and this was made possible through the kind assistance of Mr. 
Jacob J. Stroh, who, as immigration agent for many years, was 
personally acquainted with almost every family in the two settle- 
ments. His personal interest, especially in the historical data to 
be secured, led him to pay particular attention to obtaining ac- 
curate returns; and he chose as canvassers men who were not 
only sufficiently well and favorably known to the people to secure 
the information desired, but men who would use care in having 
the answers correct. Asa result of his choice, only three families 
out of about 1,200 who were canvassed refused the information 
sought, although explanations had to be given in practically every 
case as to the purpose of the census. 
The people were frankly told that Mrs. Williams was writing a 
history of, the Russian Germans, and that the census taken was 
to be preserved as a record for their children. Guaranteed 
by the cooperation of the canvasser and Mr. Stroh, this was often 
sufficient to allay the natural curiosity excited by such a canvass; 
although questions such as “‘ What is she doing it for?” or “ How 
much money is she getting out of it?” were usually asked. With 
the more ignorant or more recent immigrants, suspicions were 
aroused, and the canvassers were asked such questions as “Does 
it mean more taxes?” “ Are they going to take soldiers for the 
Mexican War?” “Is Russia hunting up soldiers?” (occasioned 
by the query as to how many years each man had served in the 
Russian army) ; and finally, “Is somebody trying to organize a 
new church?” ‘ 
The census thus obtained was checked with and supplemented 
by the school records, the city directory, the naturalization, mar- 
riage and divorce, and health records, and by information given 
by several of the most widely acquainted members of the com- 
munity. Especial pains were taken to be accurate because the 
figures handled were so small that slight errors would be much 
more serious than when dealing with large numbers. 
The public records which have been consulted for Chapter II 
are the Birth Records of the City of Lincoln, September—De- 
224 
