Those Places Thursday: 1940 US Census Update

I thought it was time for a little update on where I am on finding my folks in the 1940 U.S. Census.  I did a lot of preparation, and in some cases, it's paid off.  In other cases, there have been some surprises.

As mentioned before, I found my parents and grandparents on the first day the 1940 US Census was released, April 2.  They were at the addresses my parents had told me they'd be at, and I'd researched the enumeration districts (EDs) in advance.

Here's the status of some of Mom's other Guokas kin (state and ED#):

• TX-258-98 - found 2018 Crockett, but Anton Guokas isn't there.  I have not yet checked the address of his estranged wife Marie, in another ED.
• TX-258-104:  Found Roy Lee Guokas, his wife "Maxine," Eva Guokas Scott, and her son Otis Scott Jr., all at 1717 Shearn.  No Otis Scott Sr. though, and Maxine's sister Shirley Cook is living with them.  Wonder where he is?  Maybe off at a CCC or WPA camp?
• TX-258-106:  Found widow Pauline Guokas, her sons Adam and Frank, and daughter Marie at 1414 Bingham.  Did not find Adam's second wife Frances there - guess they were divorced by then (the 1942 City Directory shows a third wife, Janie B.)  However, Pauline's other daughter, the widowed Verna Tubb, is there, along with her three daughters, and there are two lodgers at this address.

I didn't have much luck with other folks in Dad's family (in IL-103-3212) I think because I wasn't sure of their addresses.  I also had no luck with my husband's parents - found the addresses I thought they were at (and my husband's Aunt Ivis) in Corpus Christi (TX-178-14 and TX-178-15 respectively), but they weren't there, and my father-in-law was not with my husband's Gresham grandparents in Krum (but I found those grandparents, in TX-61-22).

I found my maternal great-grandfather, Levi Marion Shelton, in the Verda community in Grant Parish, Louisiana (LA-22-11), and some other Shelton kin, but not his daughter, my great-grandmother, Addilee Shelton Wolfe Odom Harris.  I feel pretty confident she's somewhere in Louisiana, though.

So what does this mean?

This means I need to START INDEXING!  And so do you!  The 1940 U.S. Census Community Project  needs volunteers to help create a name index for all these wonderful images!

And guess what - when you complete your first 1940 US Census batch (by Sunday, April 8, 2012, 11:59 p.m. MST) in the FamilySearch indexing site, you will be entered to win an  Amazon Kindle Fire!

Here's what you need to do:

First, go to the 1940 Census Games and Prizes page to register for the contest.  If you have already done this for a previous contest, you don't need to do it again.

Next, download the FamilySearch indexing software, if you haven't already.

Then, complete at least one 1940 U.S. Census batch by Sunday, April 8, 11:59 p.m. MST.

Finally, submit your batch and your name is automatically entered into the drawing.  That's it!

You'll find that indexing a census is really quite easy!  There are lots of instructions and field helps available on the site to help you - be sure to read them!

The 1940 US Census Community Project site has more information about the contest.

© Amanda Pape - 2012 - click here to e-mail me.

[Disclosure:  As part of the1940census.com Ambassador Program, this post enters me into a drawing for a Yeti Microphone or an Amazon gift card.]