New England Families

1865 Massachusetts State Census, Ward 2, Boston, Family 3666
May 1, 1865

James Kerrigan, 27, laborer, born in Ireland, checkmark for "rateable polls"
Betsy Kerrigan, 27, born in Ireland
Catherine Kerrigan, 7
Margaret Kerrigan, 5
John Kerrigan, 3

children born in England

"Massachusetts, State Census, 1865," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MQH7-YK6 : accessed 1 March 2015), James Kerrigan, Boston, Ward 02, Suffolk, Massachusetts; State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 954,374.

from:
https://www.ancestry.com/boards/topics.census.us.ma/100.1/mb.ashx

"My understanding of the rateable poll was a predetermined tax levied on a property owner and an occupier of a dwelling who was over a certain age. Once they paid this tax, then they were allowed to vote, but not until then. I think it was based on British Law. The rateable poll was repealed in the 20th Century because it was disproportionate between rich and poor."