US Census 1940

On April 2, 2012, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in the U.S.A. released the images of the US Census taken in April 1940.   For anyone interested in Genealogy - seemingly even those of us outside of the U.S.A., this was big news.   To be honest, I was a bit indifferent about its release since the majority of the branches of the Family Tree I'm concentrating on right now are in Canada or Ireland.  But reading about it has been interesting.

In Canada, for example, we complete our Census every 5 years, and by law it can only be released for genealogical purposes after 92 years.  It is released completely for wide use after 112 years.    In the US, they complete their Census every 10 years, but it is released for use after 42 years.    (The 1911 Canadian Census was only very recently released due to finangling and disagreements within our government. )

Despite the fact that the 1940 Census is now released, it doesn't make it easily useable.... yet.  The *images* have been released.  But unless you know what state, county, city, and ward your relative lived in during the 1940's, as of this moment it's very difficult to find them.    That's why there are currently thousands of volunteers across the globe working to index those Census records.  Once indexed, amateur genealogists everywhere will be able to plug their relatives names into Ancestry.com or Archives.com, etc, and find out where they lived, who lived with them, military service, education, etc.

I am now a volunteer indexer.   I took a closer look at the process after reading a few blog posts about it and realizing I really would like to know where my family lived in the 1940's - particularly the ones in and around the Boston, Massachusetts area.  I went to Family Search and read through what would be expected of me, downloaded the software, and within 20 minutes I'd indexed 40 names.  I'm not over 1000 names and having fun doing it.  I haven't found relatives yet, but it's a great - and easy ! - process.

Even better, if I get "bored" entering census information there are hundreds of other documents waiting to be indexed.  Ship lists, passenger lists, transcripts, local census documents, cemetery transcriptions, etc.    As someone who types quickly, and actually enjoys data-entry, it's really quite enjoyable.  And it's kind of nice to give back to the community that's given me alot of fascinating information in recent years.

Happy Birthday Grandma J

Catherine Jean Millican was born March 4, 1916 in Shaker Heights, Ohio.   She went to Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, where she met and fell in love with Harry Robert Jenkins.  They married, and moved to Northern Ontario and lived in the Tri-Town area for several years, raising their three children there, before ultimately settling in the Belleville area.

Our Grandma J was an exceptional lady.  She was elegant and sophisticated, fun loving, and adventurous.   She was one of the most caring and accepting people I've ever known.  But wow, was she a cut-throat debater.    I can recall numerous late night debates between my brother and her - each valiantly defending their own point of view.  The rest of us would eventually give up and go to bed.  Heaven only knows how late they'd be up.

Grandma J, resting up for another debate with Mark.

She gave me my love for the ballet - treating my cousin Kirsten and I to Swan Lake, the Nutcracker, and then the magic of Cats.   And then there was the dollhouse.  The humongous, magical doll house she had in their home in Rednersville.  I still have a few of the miniatures she gave me for my own doll house - full of memories, and too difficult to part with.

One glance at a purple velvet chaise lounge on pristine white carpet, and I'm transported back in time.  Our grandparents rescued and fell in love with a mangy old mutt named Goober (I think ?) who had to be 100 if he was a day.  Somehow, without a word, my Grandma taught Goober to jump *over* the corner of her pristine white carpet instead of walking over it.  I'm pretty sure it took her quite a few years to teach Grandpa not to walk on it!  (just kidding.... I think.). 

A few years after she passed away, my Mom had her infamous, beloved mink coat (a story for another day) made into four teddy bears.  Teddy bears complete with music boxes inside.  One of them sits upstairs in our home, among treasured photos and trinkets.   One soft touch, and a few moments of a tinkling sonata, and I can hear her voice, and feel the warmth of one of her bright smiles.

Happy Birthday Grandma J !    It is a day to celebrate not only your life, but all of the wonderful memories you left for so many of us.