Oct 18

Census Taker-A Job You Can Count On

Last Sunday I gave a talk at the Mercer County Chapter OGS about the 1950 U.S. Census. There is a lot of interesting information contained in the 1950 census, if you haven’t looked at it already. I enjoy browsing through it, even browsing areas where I have no connections. I usually browse through it on Ancestry.com, and here are two websites where you can view the census images for free, Official 1950 Census Website and 1950 U.S. Census on FamilySearch.org.

The first U.S. Census was taken in 1790. I use census records more than any other record group for my research. My favorite census is the 1900 Census, but I feel a real connection to the 1950 Census. Even though I was not born by 1950 and was not enumerated in that census, I remember the 1950s very well. As I read through the 1950 Census, I see the names of many people I remember and knew—relatives, neighbors, friends, fellow church members. Looking through the 1950 census brings back a lot of memories, memories of a simpler time. A carefree time for a young child.

At last Sunday’s meeting I was asked about the census takers, sometimes called enumerators. It must have been an interesting, but challenging and difficult job.

1950 Census taker

The first censuses (1790-1870) were conducted by U.S. Marshals and their assistants. They were replaced by specially appointed and trained census takers in 1880.

After a 72-year waiting period, the 1950 Census was released 1 April 2022. The 1950 census was the last time census takers would visit homes to gather and record information for the census.

In 1950, it appears the census takers lived in the same township or town they enumerated, at least in our area of the country. Those areas are called Enumeration Districts.

An Enumeration District (ED) is the area a census taker could cover in 2 weeks in an urban area, and 4 weeks in a rural area. An example of an ED number is ED 54-1, Mercer County, Black Creek Township. The first number being the county number (54 = Mercer County), the second number being a designated area within the county (1 = Black Creek).

Some of the census takers in our area in 1950:
Black Creek Twp (54-1): Lois Koch
Dublin Twp (ED 54-11): Betty R. Snyder & W. Earl Lee
Dublin Twp (ED 4-12): Lenore Watts
Liberty Twp, Mercer Co. (ED 54-33): Rosalie E. Brehm
Liberty Twp, Mercer Co. (ED 54-32): Bernice Fetters
Rockford Village (ED 54-9 & 54-10): Verna Cook
Willshire Village (ED 81-38): Mrs. Dortha Brubaker
Willshire Twp (ED 81-10): Paul E. Merkle
Hopewell Twp (Ed 54-22): Pauline Wilson
Celina (ED 54-23): Mary Jane Laub
Celina (ED 54-24): Dorothea Davis
Celina (ED 54-25 & ED 54-26): Virginia L. Curry
Celina (ED 54-27): Lela D. Short
Celina (ED 54-28): Raymond J. Fischer
Celina (ED 54-29): Alberta M. Brandon
Jefferson Twp (ED 54-30): William P. Spriggs
Jefferson Twp (ED 54-31): ? Spriggs & ? Hall

Today, a little about the job of those 1950 census takers, taken from the Enumerator’s Reference Manual, 1950 Census of the United States, which is available to browse online at 1950 Enumerator’s Reference Manual. 

1950 Enumerator Reference Manual

Census takers had Crew Leaders, the representatives of the District Supervisor and the liaisons between the local enumerators and the District Supervisor.

140,000 census takers were employed to enumerate the 1950 census. Their instructions came from a large reference manual. They carried identification cards to show when they introduced themselves at a residence.

Enumerators were officially notified of their appointment with an official form which described the terms, rates of compensation, and conditions of their employment. They had to take an oath of office.

Census takers were usually paid on a piece-price rate basis, but hourly rates were occasionally paid. They were paid upon the completion of their assigned ED. They also received a fee for satisfactorily completing their training.

They were forbidden to communicate any information obtained from their official Census duties to any person who was not a sworn Census employee. Information could be discussed with other Census enumerators only if it was an official necessity. They were to make sure the completed forms were not left or placed where others could see or access them. Doing any of those things could result in a fine as much as $1000 and imprisonment up to 2 years. They could be prosecuted for disclosures even after their Census Bureau employment had ended.

The census takers were not to disclose the population of their area. No one was allowed to accompany or assist them with their census duties, except other census officials. They were allowed to receive translation assistance with people who did not speak English.

They were not allowed to make up people or names or make untruthful statements. 

Each enumerator was assigned one enumeration district and received one portfolio, which contained all the material they needed, including a map and written description of their ED boundaries. Their portfolios and census sheets were large, much larger than the 8 ½ x 11-inch sheets I thought they were.

1950 Census taker

In urban areas, they were to canvass one block at a time, beginning at a corner and proceeding clockwise around the block until back at the starting point, not crossing the street, checking every court, alley, and passageway in the block.

In rural areas enumerators were to go road by road, in a systematic manner. In rural areas, they were instructed to ask questions at the end of each interview, such as who the neighbors were, where they lived, if there were tracts of land where no one lived, all to ensure complete coverage of their ED.

They were instructed to not discuss politics, controversial matters, charitable work, special causes, or leave cards or literature, or anything else not directly related to the enumeration.

For the interview, enumerators could ask to enter the residence and sit down, if possible. If there were visitors, they were to suggest that the interview be conducted in private, because of the confidential information.

They were to ask the questions exactly as they were worded, and to avoid rephrasing the question to get an answer they thought would apply. “Do not make it easy for the respondent by suggesting answer…Should any person object to answering any question, explain that the information is strictly confidential and will not be available to anyone except sworn Census employees, and used only for statistical purposes.”

1950 Census enumerator

It is no surprise that the enumerators enumerated themselves with their families, giving their occupation as census taker or enumerator, employed by the government.

What a job being a census taker must have been, trying to visit every household in your ED, sometimes finding no one is home, some people reluctant to answer questions, lugging that large binder around, and probably other situations we cannot imagine.   

Oct 15

Tombstone Tuesday-Old Union Township Cemetery, Kalida, Ohio

This past Saturday several members of the Lima Chapter NSDAR (National Society Daughters of the American Revolution) spent the afternoon doing some clean-up at the Old Union Township Cemetery, the Chapter’s project for their annual Day of Service. It was a nice fall day to rake leaves and pick up sticks.

Old Union Township Cemetery, Kalida, Ohio

Old Union Township Cemetery, Kalida, Ohio

Old Union Township Cemetery, Kalida, Ohio

Old Union Township Cemetery, aka Kalida Pioneer Cemetery, dates back to the 1840s, and was abandoned about 60 years ago. It had been forgotten and overgrown until Kalida, Ohio, resident Abby Schroeder began the cleanup and restoration process and became the project manager. The one-acre cemetery is located behind some homes and is on the edge of Plum Creek.

Old Union Township Cemetery, Kalida, Ohio

Old Union Township Cemetery, Kalida, Ohio

Some tombstones may be on the banks of Plum Creek

Old Union Township Cemetery, Kalida, Ohio

Approximately 80 individuals are buried in Old Union Township Cemetery, but the only tombstone standing a couple years ago was the broken headstone of Nancy C. (Branch) Lee (1800-1855), the daughter of Revolutionary War Soldier Zephaniah Branch. Branch served in the Vermont Militia under the command of Capt. Samuel Robinson, Jr., serving from 1 January 1777 to December 1780.   

Alice Bassett (1850-1853), Nancy (Branch) Lee (1800-1855), Ira Lee (1795-1851), Old Union Township Cemetery, Kalida, Ohio

Nancy Lee is a Real Daughter, the daughter of a Revolutionary War soldier.

Nancy (Branch) Lee (1800-1855), Old Union Township Cemetery, Kalida, Ohio

Nancy’s husband, Ira Lee (1795-1851), is also buried in the cemetery. Ira was a War of 1812 veteran.

Last year the Lima Chapter NSDAR became a sponsoring organization for the restoration project and helped secure a DAR Historic Preservation Grant for repairs to the burial ground. The grant money has allowed for the headstones of Nancy Lee and her husband Ira Lee to be reset and placed on a concrete base. In addition, the Veterans Administration provided a new headstone for Ira Lee.

Abby is working to identify as many burials as possible, by locating and cleaning headstones and research. She is piecing broken tombstones together, somewhat like putting a jigsaw puzzle together, and placing them on palates, with plans to eventually repair and reset them in their original locations if possible. A number of headstones and footstones have been recovered and several tombstones have been reset in the ground.

Old Union Township Cemetery, Kalida, Ohio

Old Union Township Cemetery, Kalida, Ohio

Old Union Township Cemetery, Kalida, Ohio

A big thank you to Abby, for all her hard work and dedication to this historic preservation project to restore this historic cemetery and honor the memory of those early settlers of the Kalida community.

Oct 11

Food Preferences and a Swedish Tea Ring

A few weeks ago, my Aunt Esther and I talked about fresh garden tomatoes and how tasty they are. I season my fresh-sliced tomatoes differently than Joe does and I asked my aunt what she puts on her tomato slices. I was surprised when she said salt, pepper, and sugar. That’s the same way I eat sliced tomatoes! The way we ate them at home as I grew up, the way my mom served them. And I bet Grandma and Grandpa Schumm did the same. Maybe even their parents as well. Our preference for seasoning tomatoes has been passed down for several generations.

Speaking of tomatoes, one of my favorite sandwiches is a BLT (bacon, lettuce & tomato), but I add a fried egg to the sandwich. I guess you would call that a BELT. Restaurants that also serve breakfast will add the egg to the sandwich if I ask.     

We undoubtedly get most of our food preferences from the food we ate growing up, at home and at school. Some of the not-so-common food we ate at our house: 

We had radish sandwiches–radish slices with salt and pepper on butter bread. We often ate an apple with our popcorn. Salt is good on a raw apple. At school they served peanut butter sandwiches with mac & cheese and with chili soup, food pairings that Joe and I both still like.

A favorite meal by Grandma Miller was fried pork chops, fried potatoes (fried in a cast iron skillet), and stewed tomatoes. Joe said his mom also made this same meal.

Joe likes some more unusual pairings: peanut butter & mayonnaise sandwich; peanut butter & bologna sandwich; bread, butter & catsup sandwich; syrup on fried potatoes, and syrup on tuna noodle casserole. Actually, syrup on tuna noodle casserole is pretty good.

We both like anchovies on our pizza and Cesar Salad. Two people who like anchovies were destined to be together.

My dad and I really liked ice cream and we came up with some unique toppings. Our favorite was vanilla ice cream topped with crunchy peanut butter and orange marmalade. He added chocolate syrup to that. Another good ice cream topping was Coco Puffs, especially when the ice cream softens a little so you can mix the Coco Puffs in.  

Times were hard during the depression. My dad put milk and sugar on popcorn for breakfast. He packed potato sandwiches for his school lunch. Joe’s mom put lard on bread in place of butter.  

Awhile back I wrote about church cookbook recipes and mentioned that my Aunt Kate showed me how to make a Swedish Tea Ring when I was a young girl.

A reader asked about the tea ring recipe and here it is. Making the pastry takes a little work but is well worth the effort.

Swedish Tea Ring

Mix together:
1 cup lukewarm milk
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. salt

Crumble 2 cakes of compressed yeast into the mixture and stir until the yeast is dissolved.

Stir in 2 eggs, ½ cup soft shortening, 4½-5 cups flour, adding the flour in 2 additions, using the amount necessary to make the dough easy to handle. Mix first with a spoon, then with your hands.

Turn onto lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Round up into a greased bowl, greased side up. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in warm place (85 degrees) until double in size, about 1½ hours. Punch down and let rise again, until almost double, about 30 minutes.   

After the second rising, roll and shape the dough into an oblong, about 9” x 18.”

Spread with 2 Tbs. softened butter and sprinkle with ½ cup sugar, 2 tsp. cinnamon, and ½ cup of raisins.

Roll up tightly, beginning at the wide side, making a long roll. Seal well by pinching the long edges of the roll together.

Rolling Swedish Tea Ring dough.

Place the roll on a lightly greased baking sheet, sealed edge down. Shape the roll into a ring and join and seal the ends of the ring together.

With a scissors, make cuts 2/3 of the way through the ring at 1” intervals. Turn each section on its side.

Cover and let rise until double in bulk (35-40 min). Bake at 375 degrees, 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and completely baked through.

While still warm, drizzle a powdered sugar glaze over the ring and decorate with nuts and cherries.

Swedish Tea Ring

Best eaten warm! With coffee.

To be clear, I have not made a Swedish Tea Ring for many years, but after reading through the recipe again, I am thinking about making it for the holidays again.

Maybe I’ll make the Swedish Tea Ring after I master another holiday favorite–my mom’s delicious Rum Cake.

Oct 08

Tombstone Tuesday-Henry & Margaret (Deitsch) Linn

Henry & Margaret Linn, St. Paul UCC Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. (2024 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Henry and Margaret (Deitsch) Linn, located in row 6 of St. Paul UCC Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

LINN
Margaret
1877-1964
Henry
1871-1934

Henry Linn was born in Bavaria in December 1871, the son of Jacob (1838-1919) and Katharina (Mueller) (1839-1913) Linn. Henry’s parents married in Germany about 1866 and their first three children, Jacob, Philipp, and Henry, were born in Germany. Henry Linn, at about 9 months of age, came to America with his parents, 2 brothers, and some other relatives in 1872. [1] Henry’s mother Katharina Mueller was the older sister of my paternal great-grandfather Jacob Mueller/Miller.

By 1880 the Jacob and Katharina Linn family lived in Liberty Township, Mercer County, with the addition of two sons to their family: Jacob Linn, 41, farmer; Katharina, 40; Jacob, 15; Philip, 12; Henry, 9; Christian, 6; and John, 6 months. [1] Jacob Linn’s farm was located on Oregon Road, between State Route 49 and Wabash Road.

Henry Linn married Margaret Deitsch in Mercer County, Ohio, on 19 November 1896, married by Rev. S. Egger. [2]

Margaret Dietsch was born in Mercer County, Ohio, 22 September 1877, the daughter of John Jacob Deitsch Sr and Caroline (Brehm) Deitsch. Margaret, enumerated with her family in 1880: John Deitsch, 27; Caroline Deitsch, 23; John Deitsch [Jr], 4; Margaret Deitsch, 2; and Valentine Deitsch, 9 months. [3]

Henry and Margaret (Deitsch) Linn set up housekeeping and started a family Liberty Township. The Henry Linn family in 1900: Henry, 28; Maggie, 25; Charley [Carl], 3; and Edward, 1. Henry’s occupation was farmer. [4]

By 1910, the Henry Linn family had grown considerably, into a family of eight children. The children included [Carl] John, 13; Edward, 11; Andy, 9; Valentine, 7; Herbart [Urban], 6; Paul, 6; William, 2; and [Eda] Caroline, 1 month. [5]

By 1920 Henry and Margaret Linn’s oldest child Carl had married and left home, but with the addition of daughter Hilda in 1913, there were still eight children in their household. By 1930 only four children lived at home with their parents, Valentine, Urban, William, and Hilda.

Henry Linn died in Mercer County on 4 October 1934, at the age of 63. [6]

In 1940, widow Margaret Linn, 62, head, resided with her sons Urban Linn, single, and Valentine Linn and his family, wife Elizabeth and their two children, Pauline, 8, and Lester, 3. Urban and Valentine were farmers. [7]

In 1950, widow Margaret Linn lived with her daughter Eda Caroline (Linn) Schaadt and her family in Adams County, Indiana: Herbert L Schaadt, 39, head; Eda Schaadt, 40, wife; Sharon K, 1, daughter; and Margaret, 72, mother-in-law, widow. [8]

Margaret Linn died at the Adams County Memorial Hospital, Decatur, Indiana, on 1 April 1964, age 86. She had been hospitalized for two weeks after a fall and a broken hip. 

Margaret was survived by six sons, Edward H. and Urban Linn of Celina, Andrew C. and William Linn of Coldwater, Valentine of near Rockford, and Paul of Kentland, Ind; one daughter, Mrs. Herbert Schaadt of rural Berne; 13 grandchildren, 38 great-grandchildren, and two brothers, Henry and Andrew Deitsch of near Celina. She was buried on 3 April, with Rev. Larry Macy officiating. [9]

Henry and Margaret (Deitsch) Linn had the following children:
Carl John Sr (1897-1927), married Hulda Miller
Edward H Linn (1899-1972), married Margaret E Laderman
Andrew Chris “Andy” Linn (1900-1971), married Velma A Douglas
Valentine “Jim” Linn (1903-1985), married Elizabeth K Wendel
Urban P Linn (1904-1978), not married
Paul Roma Linn Sr (1906-1973), married Helen K Kindig
William P Linn (1908-1993), married Alma Irene Brown
Eda Caroline Linn (1910-1993), married Herbert Schaadt
Hilda Linn (1913-1933), married Ferdinand Christian Bollenbacher

[1] 1880 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 188, p.477B, dwelling 114, family 121, Jacob Linn; Ancestry.com.

[2] Ohio, U.S. Marriage Records, 1774-1993, Mercer Marriages 1887-1904, p.215, Henry Linn and Maggie Dittch [sic], 19 Nov 1896; Ancestry.com.

[3] 1880 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 188, p.478D, dwelling 134, family 141, John Deitsch; Ancestry.com.

[4] 1900 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 85, p.8, dwelling 153, family 158, Henry Sinn [sic]; Ancestry.com.

[5] 1910 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 119, p.9A, dwelling 156, family 157, Henry Linn; Ancestry.com.

[6] The Dayton Herold, Dayton, Ohio, Henry Linn death notice, 5 Oct 1934, p.40; Newspapers.com.  

[7] 1940 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 54-22, p. household 74, Margaret Linn; Ancestry.com.

[8] 1950 U.S. Census, Indiana, Adams, Wabash, ED 1-27, p.12, line 4, Herbert L. Schaadt; Ancestry.com.

[9] Margaret “Maggie” (Deitsch) Linn obituary, 2 Apr 1964, memorial no. 27723591; FindaGrave.com.

Oct 04

The Chatt Area in the 1950 Census

Today, a look at the Chatt area of Liberty Township in 1950, from the 1950 census.

Liberty Township had two Enumeration Districts in 1950, 54-32 and 54-33, the western part of the township being 54-33. ED 54-33 is described as that part west of County Rd N. I am not sure what County Road N was, but it was likely in the middle of the township, running north and south. Probably Wabash Road.  

Rosalie E. Brehm was the enumerator for Liberty Township in 1950 and she enumerated 577 persons. There were 198 men and 191 women 18 years and older, and 188 children under the age of 18. There were 159 dwelling units in the township.

Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, ED 54-33

This ED used the Multi-Family Census Form P1, which contained 30 lines, one person per line. The form had 20 questions at the top of the form, including questions about employment and the number of hours worked the week before, for those 14 years and older.

In 1950 the population of the U.S. was moving from farms to urban areas. Farm workers decreased by 23% between 1940 and 1950, but farming was still the main industry in Liberty Township. However, a number of people worked in other occupations, including a few women who worked outside the home. In general, jobs for mechanics and repairmen boomed, especially for those who could repair cars, airplanes, radios and TVs. I remember a time when we got our TV repaired instead of getting a new one.

Employment numbers reported in Liberty Township ED 54-33 in 1950:
MEN:
Farming: 113
Minister: 1
Grocery store salesman: 1
Truck driver: 2
Factory (including “rubber factory” & furniture factory): 24
Foundry: 5
Carpenter: 1
Mechanic: 6
Chiropractor: 2
Livestock buyer: 2
Grocery proprietor: 2
Restaurant proprietor: 2
Garage proprietor: 1
Garage manager: 1
Implement store proprietor: 2
Seed corn salesman: 1
Hardware salesman: 1
Rural mail carrier: 2
Livestock buyer: 1
Blacksmith: 1
Church janitor: 1
Timber cutter (one for a sawmill): 3
Bookkeeper: 2
Electrician: 1
Auctioneer/Real Estate: 1
Road work: 2
Poultry Dresser/Dealer: 1
Poultry Proprietor:1
Elevator manager: 1
Elevator mill work: 1

Women made up about 28% of the work force in 1950.

WOMEN:
Variety store clerk: 1
Factory: 2
Teacher: 2
Seamstress at garment factory: 3
Beautician: 1
Egg cleaner: 1
Bookkeeper: 2
Census enumerator: 1
Printing company: 1
Receptionist at hospital: 1
Sales at grocery: 1
Sales at department store: 1
Office clerk: 1
High school cook: 1

These are pretty much the occupations you would expect for a small rural town like Chatt. You can probably figure out what some of the businesses were if you remember Chatt in the 1950s and 1960s, and you can probably figure out who some of the people were. There was even a beautician.  

Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, ED 54-33


There were 13 additional questions for 6 select individuals on Form P1, selected if their name was on a specific line. Those six individuals, amounting to 20%, were asked their earnings in 1949 (for persons 14 years and old), among other things. This is a very small group from which to gather information, but there is still some information there.

The census asked if the earnings were from being employed by another or from your own business, but I lumped those two categories together for this summary.

Below is a rough summary of the reported income for 1949 by the 20% selected adults. Most people reported that they worked 52 weeks in 1949, so this was their earnings for the whole year.

There were 16 individuals who reported farm or farm-related earnings, and their average reported income was just under $2000.
Garage mechanic: $900 & $2080
Garage manager: $1400 + $4700 (2 incomes in the family)
Beautician: $1682
Seamstress: $1600
Road work: $2500
Paint sprayer: $3380
Print company: $1664, $600
Truck driver/stockyard: $960
Truck driver: $2100
Poultry dresser and/or dealer: $1100 & $4471
Salesman (hardware): $940
Bookkeeper: $780 (26 weeks)
Receptionist (hospital): $1800
Factory: $3600

The annual income varied by occupation. The median annual income in the U.S. in 1950 was $3000 ($35,000 today). Farming families had a median income of $2000 ($23,600 today). Doctors, lawyers, and other professionals had a median income of $7400 and managers and officials $5200 in 1950.   

Those incomes seem small today, but the median home value in 1950 was $7,354 ($87,000 today).

I still think of those years as the good old days. Things were certainly simpler then.