Thursday, September 28, 2017

U.S. Census Records

This past Friday, I taught a class on using U.S. Census records in your genealogy research. It was
well received and even my co-worker, Lisa commented that she learned new techniques.

Here are some of the highlights:

HISTORY/What it is:


  • Every 10 years since 1790, the United States has counted everyone who is living in the country. This is done to apportion how many representatives each state gets to send to Congress.
  • Because of privacy concerns, the records are not released to the public for 72 years. Hence, we cannot access the 1950 census until 2022.

Why do we want to use the census?

  • Can show us where our ancestors lived at the time of the census.
  • Later censuses give us the occupation of our ancestors.
  • Later censuses list the names of the wife and children and their approximate birth year.
  • Can be used to estimate relative economic status of our ancestors.
  • Can help identify the daughters in a family, who get married (thereby changing their names) and move away.

What to look out for (weaknesses):

  • Spelling can be very inexact. In the past, spelling wasn't as standardized as it is today. How a name is recorded depended on the person writing it down. Accents can confuse the enumerator.
  • Some people were deliberately not counted, such as Native Americans or enslaved people.
  • Other people with a strong distrust of their government, would avoid being counted or outright lied.
  • Birthdays and exact ages were not as precise in the past and are often just estimates.
  • For the earliest censuses, the enumerator was not well trained, did not have to have good handwriting and often had to provide their own paper.
  • The enumerators had to make 2-3 copies of the census, leading to more errors in their work. Some even had their children help with the copying!
In this excerpt from the 1850 Census for Gallia County, OHIO, my ancestor's name is spelled JONSON, not
a spelling I would have thought to look for.

What you will find in the different census schedules:

  • 1790-1840 – The censuses for these years only list the head of the household by name, and then list the remaining inhabitants by gender and age group. 
1840 Census for Gallia County, Ohio. Only the head of the household is listed by age. Others are only indicated
by age range and gender.

  • The 1850 census is the first census that lists everyone in the household by name, gender and age. It does not say what their relationship is to the head of the household and cannot by themselves be used to prove parentage.
  • 1860 is the census that was taken right before the Civil War. The War caused many people to relocate.
  • The 1870 census was taken after the Civil War. It is the first census where formerly enslaved individuals are named.
  • The 1880 census is the first census that lists everyone's relationship to the head of the household.
This excerpt from the 1880 Census for Gallia County OHIO shows William JOHNSON, his wife Frances
and their 7 children. Prior to 1880 the relationship of the people in the household is not stated. You cannot assume
that all the children listed are living with their birth parents.

  • The 1890 census was mostly destroyed by fire. There was a supplemental census of Civil War veterans and most of that has survived.
  • 1900 census lists a person’s year of immigration into the United States, as well as their naturalization status. 
  • 1910 census lists whether the person was a union or confederate veteran of the Civil War. It also asks how many children born to this woman and how many are still alive.
  • 1920 census asks about the year of naturalization and native language.
This excerpt from the 1920 Census for Cleveland, Cuyahoga County shows that "Sam Desalvo" immigrated in 1911
and his wife, Mary came in 1915. "PA" means that Sam has filed his citizenship papers, but he had not yet become
a citizen. "AL" means that "Mary" is an alien. Sam's real name was Salvatore Di Salvo. Sam was a nickname. Mary's birth name was Maria. I had to search by the children's names to find this family. 

  • 1930 this census asked 32 questions, including did the family own a radio set!
  • 1940 this census asked 50 questions, including where each individual lived in 1935. Lines 14 & 29 have supplemental questions asked at the bottom.
  • 1950 and later censuses will not be released until 72 years after they were taken. That means we have to wait until 2022 for the release of the 1950 census.
  • The censuses that have not yet been released, can be ordered via form BC-600from the U.S. Census Bureau. Current cost $75 : https://www.census.gov/history/pdf/bc-600-2013.pdf 

Accessing the censuses at these web sites:

  • FamilySearch.org free to use anywhere there is Internet access
  • Heritage Quest at home through your library and using your library account information
  • Ancestry Library Edition available from inside your library.
  • Also available at other subscription sites such as:
    • Ancestry.com
    • FindMyPast 
    • MyHeritage.com
Search tips:
  • Look on the page before and the page after for neighbors and other relatives. 
  • If having trouble locating a family with a common name, try looking for the children with less common names. 
  •  You can search by first names only, combined with locality. 
  • Use wildcards to search names that can have different spellings: 
                “*” Substitutes for up to 5 letters. Ex:“Joh*” for JOHNSON, JOHNSTON. 
                 “?” Substitutes for one letter. Ex. "Eli?abeth" for Elisabeth or Elizabeth
  •  Record the details to compare with other information you know about the family. 
  • Compare the handwriting for deciphering hard to read names. L, S, and T and F 
1850 Lawrence County, Ohio census for James TAGG family. Does the "T" look like a T to you?
It could be interpreted as a "T" or "Y". Notice Martha Ward on the bottom line? She has no known relationship
 to anyone in the family. We may never know why she was living with them in 1850. 



Here is the James TAGG family in the 1860 Census. The "T" here looks more like an "F" to me.


And here is the family in the 1870 census. The letter "T" her has lost all resemblance to a T. It could be interpreted
 as an "L". I thought it looked like a capital ""B" that had lost its front | . Someone else has suggested it looked
 like a "Z" I have found this family listed under "T", "L", "F", and "S"  *

  • “Browse” the whole census for the area your ancestors lived. Maybe names were spelled wrong or indexed wrong. 
  • Check the last pages. If households were missed or weren’t copied in the right place, they were added here. 
  • Additional notes could be added on the last page. 
  • Remember: as with all genealogical research, start from the most recent to the oldest records. So your census search most likely starts with the 1940 census. 
  • Make a photocopy of the enumeration. If possible, include the headings listed at the top of each page. Download it to save it as digital file. Can be saved to your home computer or to the cloud. 
  • If possible, verify the information you discover in primary sources, like vital records. 
  • Find a neighbor from a known census and then search for that neighbor in the lost census 
  • Gender Confusion – Enumerator might put wrong gender if confused by name/nickname – Franka 
  • M1 – means one marriage 
  • M2- more than one; two or MORE 
Special Census Records
  • 1890 Union Veterans and Widows Census 
  • Agricultural Census these special censuses, taken in 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880 lists what agricultural items were being produced in those given years. They list the number of cows, horses, pigs, and sheep as well as how much hay, corn and wheat were being grown. 
Headings from the 1850 Agricultural Census

1850 Agricultural Census for Gallia County, OHIO. My ancestor, Joshua JONSON/JOHNSON is a small
farmer compared to his neighbors, with only 40 acres.

  • Mortality Census lists deaths that occurred in the 12 months preceding the census. These were taken in 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1885. 
Excerpt from the 1880 Mortality Schedule for Gallia County, Ohio.
My ancestory, John Williams is the oldest person listed, dying at the age of 84 from pneumonia.

  • Slave Census Schedules during the 1850 and 1860 censuses, slaves were counted separately. Usually these do not list individual names, but only list the age, sex and color of the person, along with the owner’s name. 
Excerpt from the 1860 Census for Alexandria, Virginia. This entry is for "R.E. Lee" - Robert E. Lee. There are 41
enslaved African Americans listed. They are listed by age, gender and color. "B" indicates Black and "M" would
indicate mulatto.


Substitutes for Census
  • State Census - some states have produced their own separate censuses 
                  Usually taken for years in between the federal censuses. 
                  Type of information collected and availability of these censuses vary
                  widely. Consult State Census Records by Ann S. Lainhart,
                  for more information.

1855 Pike County Illinois Census. Like the earlier federal census, this one only lists the head of the household
and the ages and gender for everyone else. Griffin Hedges on the last line is the family I was looking for.

1856 Jefferson County, Iowa census. Here Griffin Hedges is listed with his wife and young children.




  • City and County Directories 
                  At local libraries
                  Available from Ancestry

Johnson listings from a 1948 Directory of Medina County, Ohio.

  • Tax Lists 
              Available from online websites like Ancestry
              Published tax lists
                      Index to Ohio Tax Lists 1800-1810
                      Early Ohio Tax Records
                      1812 Census of Ohio: A State-wide Index of Taxpayers 

  • Voter Registration Lists 
              California’s registers are available on Ancestry.
               MCDL Genealogy Blog - Voters' Records


1940 Los Angeles County, Voters Registration list.
Note that Ronald Reagan is listed as a Democrat!
The 1954 Los Angeles County, California Voter's Registration.
Ronald is still a Democrat at this point. Nancy, however has a "DS" designation.
"DS" indicates that she declined to say which party she belonged to.

So dig into those census records, but be sure wring every iota of information that you can from them!



*James' wife Sarah, seems to have dropped a few years between the 1860 and 1870 Census.We would expect her age to be listed as 43-44 years old from her age on the previous censuses. While it wasn't unusual to see that people did not list their ages consistently, to lose 15 years when you should have aged 10 is really bizarre. It wasn't until I ordered James' Civil War Pension records that I found the solution. His first wife, Sarah (Sally) McComas had died shortly after the Civil War. James relocated out to Illinois and remarried to Nancy Bee. She died a year later. Then James married for a third time to another, younger woman whose first name was also Sarah!

SOURCES:

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

S.S. Medina Victory

Medina's World War II War Bond Headquarters
Medina County contributed so much to the war effort during World War II. The newspapers of the time are filled with information on tire drives, paper drives, metal drives. The War Bond building where Medinians donated more that their fair share, still stands, having been moved to a lot to the west of the Medina Hospital.

The young men and women of Medina enlisted to fight the country's enemies, whether it was behind a cannon, a rifle, a medical mask or a typewriter.

Everyone had a Victory Garden and the library had a Victory drive in order for Medina's citizens to donate books to be sent overseas.

And Medina had a United States Victory Class Ship named after it.

WHAT?


The S.S. Victory Medina was built toward the end of World War II and was launched on 10 February 1945.

What is a Victory Ship?

According to Wikipedia, Victory Ships were:

"The Victory ship was a class of cargo ship produced in large numbers by North American shipyards during World War II to replace losses caused by German submarines." They were larger and faster than the previously built Liberty ships.

A Victory Class Cargo ship


A cross section view showing the layout of the ship.


The first 33 of the Victory ships were named for members of the United Nations. The other 500 ships were named after U.S. towns and cities, and colleges and universities. Each state would only have two town names used. The towns had to represent the historic nature of the area. The S.S. Bucyrus Victory, the first Ohio ship to be named after an Ohio town, was launched in January 1945.

How did little ol' Medina get a ship named after it?

In early 1944, local businessman, Frank E. Judkins, was on a business trip out west and met up with Mr. John Carmody of the U.S. Maritime Commission. After chatting awhile and extolling the virtues of his hometown, Mr. Judkins asked how to get a ship named after "Medina". He was told to submit a petition. When he arrived back in Medina, he obtained the signatures of nearly 200 Medina Legion members, business men, and various civic club members. He submitted the request in April.

Weeks and months went by with no word. Judkins kept the pressure on with multiple letters inquiring the status of the request. Finally, in December of 1944, the Medina Chamber of Commerce received notification that a Victory Ship was being built at the Permante shipyards in Richmond California that would be named the "SS Medina Victory." It was to be launched on February 7, 1945. Frank was invited to the launch, but when it was delayed he was unable to attend.

Medina Gazette 22 Dec 1944, page 1
The Maritime Commission requested that the city send a woman the help launch the ship.

As the city would have to pay her expenses to travel to California, the Chamber decided to request that Mrs. Chaffee do the honors. Mrs. Chaffee's mother, Mrs. W.S. Thorpe, was still living in Medina. Mrs. Chaffee had accompanied her husband, Navy Lieutenant Almerin Chaffee when he was stationed to Oakland, California. So she was very near the Redmond shipyards.

Medina Gazette  26 December 1944, page 1.















On February 10, 1945, the S.S. Medina Victory was launched.


Mrs. Chaffee receiving a bouquet from flower girl,
Janet Eggleston
Scrapbook of Launch of S.S. Medina Victory





















Mrs. Chaffee christening the S.S. Medina
Scrapbook of Launch of S.S. Medina Victory

















The S.S. Medina going down the slipway
Scrapbook of Launch of S.S. Medina Victory












The S.S. Medina Victory is launched!
Scrapbook of Launch of S.S. Medina Victory















Her first voyage took her from San Pedro California, to Melbourne, Australia, to Calcutta, India, Ceylon, Mozambique, Durban and then to Philadelphia, PA. After this one voyage as a cargo ship, the War Shipping Administration decided to convert her to a troop transport ship.

Again from Wikipedia:

"Many Victory ships were converted to troopships to bring US soldiers home at the end of World War II. A total of 97 Victory ships were converted to carry up to 1,600 soldiers. To convert the ships the cargo hold were converted to bunk beds and hammocks stacked three high. Mess halls and exercise places were also added."

When this conversion was complete, the S.S. Medina Victory was loaned to the British. She sailed from New York in October 1945 for the Mediterranean where she ferried troops between  the Middle East and Toulon, France.


In 1948, the ship was purchased by the Donaldson Line and was turned into a passenger/freighter ship and was renamed the Laurentia. The ship was in operation until 1966 and was scrapped in '67.

S.S. Laurentia, previously named the S.S. Medina Victory

Do not confuse the S.S. Medina Victory with the S.S. Medina, a freighter built in 1914 and named for the river in Texas. That ship was once part of the U.S. Coast Guard, but spent most of her time as a cruise liner. At one time, she was a floating book shop and now is being converted into a luxury hotel.
S.S. Medina, built in 1914.


SOURCES:

The Atlantic Liners 1925-70 by Frederick Emmons
Donaldson Line Laurentia
National Park Service
Scrapbook of the launch of the S.S. Medina, donated to the Medina Library by Franz Zrilich, 1994.
Western Ocean Passenger Lines and Liners 1934-1969 by Commander C.R. Vernon Gibbs.
Wikipedia S.S. Bucyrus
Wikipedia Medina/Doulos Phos
Wikipedia Victory Ships
2 page letter detailing the application process, authenticated by F.E. Judkins.

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Genealogy Lock-In


On Friday, September 22, the Medina Library will be offering its 18th Genealogy Lock-In.

The fun begins at 6:30 and lasts until 10:30 p.m.


































The evening features two learning opportunities.

First, John Sabol will be exposing all the mistakes that beginner genealogists make. He'll explain how to avoid these common errors!

John's session will run from 7-8 p.m.

Next, I will be covering all the strengths and weaknesses of U.S. censuses. Learn how to make the most of these incredible records!

The Census session will run from 9-10 p.m.
Fill up on your favorite caffeine beverage!

Light refreshments will be available so we can all keep our energy levels up!

The Library computers and databases will be available for anyone who wishes to search for their relatives with help from Library staff and members of the Medina County Genealogical Society.

Space is limited, so sign up HERE. to reserve your spot.

Did I mention  DOOR PRIZES?



Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Who was Sidney Fenn?

All Medina City residents know that there is a school named after Sidney M. Fenn on West Union street.

If you have walked the halls of the school, you may have noticed his portrait and the plaque that recognizes his contributions to education in Medina.

Any articles or paragraphs on Sidney Fenn always include a long, long list of all of his accomplishments:

  • World War I Veteran
  • Charter member/commander of the American Legion Post.
  • Chairman/teacher of Americanization classes for the American Legion Post.
  • Chairman of the Medina Memorial Day Parade for many years.
  • 32nd Degree Mason
  • Kiwanis Club member
  • Chairman of the Service Union for the Salvation Army.
  • Active in the United Church of Christ Congregational and was a Sunday school teacher.
  • Lifetime member of the Medina YMCA
  • Public Relations Director for United Fund
  • First president of the Medina county Retired Teacher's Association.
But any person is so much more than their accomplishments.

From the 1955 Medina High School Yearbook.
Courtesy of Rick Nowak.


Sidney Fenn was born in Medina County on 29 February 1892.  This is a portrait of him taken at a very young age. 

Yes. It was the custom to dress both boys and girls in long dresses and not cut their hair until they were old enough for the boys to graduate to pants.

In 1909, he attended the YMCA States Boys Conference.

After graduating from Medina High School in 1912, Sidney went to Ohio State University, graduating in 1916 with a degree in Agriculture. 

His first teaching job after graduation was at the Kingman Schools in Clinton County, Ohio.

21 February 1919, p. 7 Medina Sentinel


1918, Sidney joined the Army and served as a Corporal during World War I. This February 1919 Medina Sentinel article states that he had been assigned to Company L of the 329th and he had been training soldiers for the front of the war at the time of his discharge.



By 1920, Sidney is back living with his parents on North Court Street and he is listed as a salesman for a drug store.

In 1921, there is a Sidney M. Fenn listed in the Cleveland City Directory as a teller at the Garfield Savings Bank. While it is not certain that he is the same Sidney Fenn, no other Sidney Fenn appears in Ohio for the 1920 or 1930 censuses.

In 1922, he married Helen D. Miller in Wood County, Ohio. His occupation was "clothier" and hers was "musician".

In 1923 he was first hired as a teacher for the Medina Schools. By 1929, he had become a principal. He was principal of the High School for 18 years.

1927 Medina High School Yearbook
By 1937, Sidney is divorced from Helen, and he remarried. His second wife was Doris E. Camp.

In 1937, he earned his Master's Degree in Administration from Ohio State University. In 1947, the Superintendent's job became available suddenly and Sidney stepped into the void. He held that position until 1961, when he retired.

Sidney had three sons: Craig, Raymond and Robert. Tragically, Doris died in 1954. Sidney remarried to Mary Lou Strock, a music teacher at the high school.


1948 Medina High School Yearbook


Sidney's son, Robert Fenn, who also served as Superintendent of Medina Schools from 1980-1990, remembers this about his father (from The Story of Medina's Schools 1817-2017 by Gloria Brown):
      "I remember playing in front of the fireplace in his office. He sang a lot and he had a great sense of humor." After his mother died, Robert recalls, "He'd come home, put on an apron and make me supper. And he made oatmeal for my breakfast every morning."

About Sidney's dedication to the community and his leadership of the Salvation Army in Medina, Bob Fenn remembers, "People would come to the door, needing a place to stay or a meal. The man at the nearby filling station would send people to our house, telling them 'If you need help, go see Sid Fenn.' My father would always help them out."  


Bob Hyde, creator of the MedinaSquare.org web site also remembers "Sid" Fenn. Bob remembers the principal as being "straight forward, no-nonsense administrator and always, very fair. After a "talking to" Mr. Fenn would always say, "Don't do it again. Now go next door and see Mr. Claggett." Mr. Claggett doled out the punishment.


Local resident, Macy Hallock, was a student at the Medina High School, while Sidney was principal. He remembers Sidney fondly and with a smile in his voice recalls, "He was very likable, affable, with a good sense of humor. He was upright. Everyone liked him and he took an interest in everyone."  Macy also shared this incident:
     "One day I was called into the principal's office, and I had no idea why. Sidney set me down and said, "We have no more to teach you here. We want to send you to college early. The paperwork is all signed and ready for you to go."  Unknown to young Macy, Sidney Fenn and his father had discussed his future and didn't want him getting drafted into the war. So they had arranged for Macy to skip his final year of high school and go straight into college. And between them, they had decided that Sidney Fenn would be the one to tell him. Macy Hallock wasn't even 16 years old at the time.

So, who was Sidney Fenn? A pillar of the community? Yes. A good father? Yes. An all-around really nice guy? YES!

And an good sport?

Sidney Fenn commiserating with fellow birthday sharer about
only having a birthday every four years, because they were
born on 29 February. Medina County Gazette, 28 Feb 1956, p.1




I'd say so, wouldn't you?






























SOURCES:
History of Medina County (1948)
Historical Highlights of Medina (1966)
The Story of Medina's Schools 1817-2017
Medina High School Yearbooks, 1927, 1948, 1955
Medina County Gazette
     21 Feb 1919, p. 7
     28 Feb 1956, p. 1

For Enquiring Minds:

Craig Fenn, Sidney's oldest son, did serve in the Army during World War II. In April of 1945, his parents received news that he was Missing In Action (MIA). Later that month, they learned that he had been taken a prisoner of war. And just a week after that, he was released from the POW camp and was reunited with his troops. 

Medina Gazette 1 May 1945, page 1.
Medina Gazette  8 May 1945

But better than that was the story he told when he got home...

Medina Gazette  22 May 1945, page 1