Friday, April 13, 2012

I Succumbed

I wasn't interested in searching the 1940 U.S. Census. I had no interest because I already knew plenty about family members who were living in 1940. I knew when and where they were born, who their parents were, their occupations, their spouses and marriage dates, when they died. I didn't think the census could give me much more information.

Then I learned what questions were being asked in the census and my curiosity was piqued. Still, I decided I would wait till the census was indexed before searching for them. That post I wrote about finding Enumeration Districts (E.D.) and maps? I looked up the Ridge to write the post but I didn't write down the E.D. I really wasn't going to search until it was indexed.

But something happened. Mineral Ridge is such a small village -- a long Main Street with just a few short side streets. It wouldn't take long to have a quick look. Then I realized it was the last census in which I would find four of my great-grandparents. Next, I became curious about where my father worked and how much he earned; and about my grandfather who lived a few doors away. One thing led to another. . . . And I succumbed.

There's something about seeing an ancestor's name on a document, especially a document with so much information in it. I guess you could say curiosity got the best of me. That can't be a bad thing when it's family history we're talking about, right?



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6 comments:

  1. I don't blame you! How can anyone resist checking out the census? My ancestors left the US in the 1860s and I'm still tempted to go searching!

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  2. When you said that this would be the last census in which you would be able to find 4 great-grandparents, it made me realize that the 1950 census will be the last one with all four of my grandparents - my mother's father died in October 1950. Plus I will still be able to find my brick wall great-grandmother on this and the 1950 census, so I need to get to work on some more Texas counties!

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  3. So glad you got to dig in to the 1940 Census, and found your ancestors too!

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  4. Fi, I didn't know you had ancestors who lived in the U.S. I wonder what interesting things you would find about them in 1860. Sadly, that census gives so little information compared to the recently issued 1940. Thanks for leaving a comment.

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  5. Greta, it seems like that 10-year interval goes by so fast. I was thinking how some of my ancestors appear on only 3 census records, especially with the 1890 census being lost. I hope you find everyone you're looking for in the 1940 and find what you need to be ready for 1950. (It really is a long time away.)

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  6. Thanks, Dorene. I hope you've found some of your family in 1940, too.

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I appreciate your comments and look forward to reading what you have to say. Thanks for stopping by.

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