Clarissa N. Penfield is listed only in the 1850 census at age 3 (so born ca 1847).

Don Penfield is listed only in the 1860 census at age 13 (so born ca 1847).

Clarence T. Penfield is first listed in the 1880 census at age 31 with wife Mary and 4 children (so born ca 1849).

The 1870 census reports a “Chovis Penfield” married to Mary living alongside the other Penfields (all of them actually called “Renfield”) but with reported ages that do not match any other Penfields. It is possible this is Clarence and the ages are wrong. Most of these people could not read or write and may not have known their ages accurately.

These three (excluding Chovis) are all listed as different people in this genealogy.

If they refer to separate people, it is not clear why Don was not listed in 1850. It is possible that Clarissa died young and Don died before 1870. It is not clear why Clarence was not found in the 1850, 1860, or 1870 censuses. In 1880 his listing was transcribed as “Clanis” though the image might be read as either Charles or Clarence.

If they all refer to the same person then it is not clear how that person could have been reported as a female in 1850, and how the names got reported so differently.

Paul Penfield, Jr., editor. Created 23 Mar 2015.