State & National Census Reports are filled with information for genealogists. Both the population & nonpopulation schedules give us insights into the lives of our ancestors. What have you found that is Surprising? Reassuring? Bewildering?
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| 1940 US Census TK Mark family from ancestry.com |
Thomas K. & N. Regina (Gruissy) Mark were
my great grandparents on my father’s side. They lived their lives and raised
their seven children in rural Ohio. I’ve been able to find them and all their children
in the 1940 census records. On 3 May 1940, when they were visited by a census
taker, they were living at 181 Bergey Street, Wadsworth in Medina County. They
owned their own home which was valued at $1,200. Thomas had been both a farmer
and a carpenter. About 1930 he had an awful accident while working which badly
injured his back. The 1940 census reports that he was unable to work although
he had worked for 50 weeks the previous year. We can wonder if the inability to
work was due to his injuries or due to the lack of available carpentry jobs. [SD
23, ED 52-25, sheet 27A]
Thomas
and Regina had both of their sons and one of their daughters still living at
home. Owen, 24, and Clarence, 22, were both working 40 hours a week at the
match factory. Wava, 21, was working 36 hours a week as a housekeeper in a
private home. Although their parents had not, all three siblings had completed
four years of high school.
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| 1940 US Census Roy & Isabell Nee family from ancestry.com |
Oldest
daughter, Isabell, was married and also living in Wadsworth. Her husband, Roy E
Nee was a janitor in a recreational hall. Their sons, Harold J. and Paul H.
were in school. [SD 23, ED 52-24, Sheet 11B]
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| 1940 US Census The Ballards from ancestry.com |
Daughter,
Vera, was also in Medina County. She and her husband, R. Ballard, were living
on Washington Street in Seville. Vera’s husband was a mechanic and she was a
nurse in training at the hospital. [SD 23, ED 52-4, Sheet 6B]
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| 1940 US Census Roy Brown family from ancestry.com |
Daughter,
Ivy, was living in Rittman, Wayne County. Her husband, Roy Brown, was a
millwright at the paper mill. Ivy had six children: Delbert, Leo, Genevieve,
Jeanette, Larry Lee and Robert. [SD 16, ED 85-29, Sheet 15A]
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| 1940 US Census the Nothstein family from ancestry.com |
Daughter,
Viola was living in Norton Twp., Summit County. Her husband, Raymond Nothstein,
was a laborer. Viola had three children at that time: Loyal, Norbert and
Benita. [SD 23, ED 77-67, Sheet 9A]
It
was fun to find all these members of the family. In later years there would be changes:
moves to other states, more grandchildren, new jobs. However, in 1940, although
four of the daughters were married, they all still lived fairly close to each
other and, according to family stories, visited each other often.
One of my favorite things about looking at the 1940 census is finding family members living close to one another. It gives me a real sense of the community and helps me visualize their interaction.
ReplyDeleteYes. From all the stories I hear there was lots of visiting back and forth.
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