Today is a continuation of my transcription of the village of Willshire as recorded in the 1950 U.S. Census. The 1950 census was released for public view on 1 April 2022.
As I mentioned last week, the village of Willshire was one of a very select few areas (Enumeration District/ED) to use the new census form, called a household form. Most areas of the United States used the multi-family form, Form P1.
The village of Willshire in the 1950 census (ED 81-38) includes 201 pages. The population of Willshire in 1950 was 565 and there were 194 dwellings. Mrs. Dorothea Brubaker, from Ohio City, was the enumerator.
The basic census instructions were to List every person who usually lives in your household and every person staying in your household on April 1, 1950 (except temporary visitors)…
My transcription of the village of Willshire includes: name (head of household in bold), age, occupation (if given). For the others in household: name, age, relationship to the head of household, and occupation (if given). Occasionally I include marital status or where a person was born.
The village of Willshire (ED 81-38), 1950 U.S. Census, p.65-132 (about 1/3 of the village):
Wilbert C Heil, 44, truck driver/stone quarry; Dorothy D, 39, wife, telephone operator; Phyllis J, 19, [name crossed out].
Harriet M Alsbaugh, 73, widowed.
Claude E Buchanan, 75, widowed; Daisy D Hileman, 73, sister, widowed, telephone operator.
Emma A Lautzeheiser, 78, widowed.
Dale C Jones, 45, car dealer; Mary L, 41, wife.
Donald F Eichar, 23, carpenter/construction co; Elizabeth L, 24, wife; Linda L, 2, daughter; Sue E, under 1 year, daughter.
Kermit E Bienz, 40, filling station employee; Irene W, 39, wife, clerk/variety store; Walter E, 17, son; Donna M, 13, daughter.
Merrill J Osborn, 34, osteopathic physician; Mary E, 31, wife; Martha D, 9, daughter; Merrill D, 5, son; RC Duane, 3, son; Daryl E, 2, son.
Lottie L Jones, 66, widowed.
George H Dellinger, 64, shop worker/lumber yard; Elizabeth A, 61, wife; Mary E, 35, never married, bookkeeper/lumber yard.
Mary A Stetler, 57, divorced, cook/public school; John P, 25, son, never married, house painter; Louis G, 20, son, never married, section department/railroad; Katherine M, 16, daughter.
Russell E Griffith, 47, high school superintendent; Mary K, 45, wife, grade school teacher; Harold D, 17, son.
Ruth H Davis, 44, divorced; Norma J. Standiford, 19, daughter, married; Richard D. Standiford, 53, son-in-law, married, works in garage; Kathryn A Davis, 14, daughter.
Louisa C Buechner, 78, widowed.
Lester J Hoverman, 33, implement mechanic/farm implement; Jessie, 38, wife, postal clerk.
Charles H Myers Jr, 20, lather/construction company; Patsy L, 18, wife; Carla J, under 1 yr.
Esther D Strickler, 57, widowed, machine operator/electric motor manufacturing; Lewis W August, 88, father, widowed; Elva Kauffman, 70, divorced.
Charles H Gissler, 82; Effie, 75, wife.
Leland E Miller, 34, packer/truck manufacturing; Bernice M, 26, wife; Barbara N, 8 daughter; Judith C, 7, daughter; Joseph G, 5, son; William L, 4, son.
Dale E Clouse, 42, self-employed/grocery store; Opal E, 42, wife, grade school teacher; Beverly, 16, daughter, never married, clerk/grocery store; Kay, 14, daughter.
Homer V Minx, 51, clean-up work/feed mill; Wilma A, 41, housekeeper/private home; Patricia J, 16 daughter.
Orceney J Passwater, 72; Nancy, 68, wife.
Judson J Passwater, 37, carpenter foreman/construction co; Leona M, 40, wife; Caral K, 8, daughter.
Luther M Wolfe, 58; Dot K, 54, wife.
Edwin O Bissell, 52, minister/Methodist church; Geneva M, 31, wife; John E, 7, son.
Earl A Straub, 64; Sadie S, 64, wife.
Martha E Finch, 38, separated, office assist nursing/Dr office; James M, 13, son; Linda Sue, 11, daughter; Rebecca Nan, 7, daughter.
L Dennison Tinkham, 39, truck driver/truck manufacturing; N Ruth, 33, wife; Nyla, under 1 year, daughter.
Roland A Marbaugh, 30, manager/lumber yard; Carmilla M, 35, wife; Lyn A, 4, daughter; Wade L, 1, son.
Ora M Hoffer, 78, widow, music teacher/in own home; Gretchen, 50, daughter, never married, manager/aid for aged.
Paul K Robison, 35, car checker/feed mill; Olga M, 36, wife; Judy L, 7, daughter; Jay A, 3, son.
Kenneth W Neuenschwander, 40, self-employed/hardware; Freda L, 34, wife, self-employed/hardware; Vickie D, 8, daughter.
John H Leistner, 63; Grace I, 58, wife; Hugh A, 22, son, never married; Gordon J, 19, son, never married, farmer.
Charley H Miller, 63, farmer; Bess, 64, wife.
Jesse L Schlickman, 38, carpenter/soy bean factory; Margaret E, 37, drill press/novelty manufacturing; Billy L, 16, son; Jan E, 12, son; Sondra A, 10, daughter.
David C Miller, 82; Ida B, 81, wife.
Ralph W James Sr, 43, brake setter/truck manufacturing; Lillie V, 28, wife; Ralph W Jr, 10, son; Fred L, 8, son; Jimmie L, 7, son.
Walter C Suman, 28, assembly line/truck manufacturing; Sally H, 22, wife; Larry E, 3, son; Y Sue, 2, daughter; H Edward, under 1 year, son.
Donald W Schumm, 27, self-employed/furnace shop; Barbara R, 27, wife; Donna J, 7, daughter; Judy A, 5, daughter.
Harvey C Hileman, 35, clean-up man/electric motor manufacturing; Mary E, 28, wife; Karen K, 8, daughter; Donald H, 6, son; Helen J, 5, daughter.
T Chalmer Snider, 40, truck repair/truck transportation; Evohn A, 42, wife, switch assembly line/electric motor manufacturing; Chalmer W, 18, son, metal lather/construction co.
Lewis Harris, 54, painter/house painting.
Carlis E Jacobs Sr, 34, self-employed/odd jobs; Elizabeth J, 26, wife; Carlis E Jr, 5, son; David E, 3, son; Gerald L, 1, son.
Floyd L Strickler, 52, labor/city of Willshire; Nellie F, 51, wife; L Adaline, 22, daughter, never married; Lester L, 15, son.
Frank M Reece, 58, married.
Melvin L Davis, 88; Rawena L, 70, wife.
Mary E Laughrey, 70, widowed.
John D Cowan, 62, installation dept/electric motor manufacturing; Bess D, 52, wife; Suzanne, 17, daughter; James D, 8, son.
Alta J Allender, 73, widowed.
Minnie M Reichard, 77, widowed.
Ella C Dellinger, 59, married.
Harold T Bebout, 52; Ethel E, 50, wife.
Olive E Hoblet, 71, widowed.
Jack L Brasher, 48, self-employed/sheet metal shop; Mable M, 47, wife; Bobby G, 21, son, never married, sheet metal worker/sheet metal shop ; Bonnie L, 11, daughter.
Kenneth P Dellinger, 31, auto mechanic/garage; N Virginia, 30, wife; Larry D, 9, son; Barry L, 2, son; Terry S, under 1 year, son.
William A Cookson, 68; Alma E, 63, wife.
Elton C Vining, 58, salesman/implement co; Lou E, 58, wife, operator/telephone co.
Martin V Stamm, 68; Clara H, 61, wife.
Callie L Foreman, 74, widowed.
John D Tinkham, 67, freight checker/truck manufacturing; Sarah C, 61, wife.
Theodore G Schumm, 52, machine operator/electric motor manufacturing; Leona, 43, wife; William L, 20, son, never married, sales clerk/hardware store; Frederick L, 23, son, married, bartender/private club; Rosemary I, 17, daughter-in-law, married; Thomas A, under 1 year, grandson.
Charles H Myers, 52, pipe fitter/soybean factory; Sarah J, 43, wife; Tommy E, 5, son; John H Jarvis, 75, father-in-law, widowed.
Wilbur A Marbaugh, 40, relief operator/soybean factory; Wanda L, 36, wife; Barbara L, 15, daughter; Richard B, 14, son; Connie C, 13, daughter; Buddy R, 10, son.
Walter Kesler, 38, machine operator/electric motor manufacturing; Marguerite A, 31, wife; Gary A, 12, son.
Harry J Riker, 59, machine painter/soybean factory; Jeannette R, 56, wife.
Joseph Avery, 29, shipping clerk/wire company; Edna L, 27, wife, beauty operator/beauty shop; Judith K, 8 daughter.
Edna Avery was my mom’s beautician for many years, until Edna retired, and I remember her well. My mom had her “hair done” every Thursday after work. The beauty shop was also a good place to catch up on the latest news.
I find it interesting to read that some were employed at a soybean factory. This was likely Central Soya but I never thought of it as a factory. My grandpa Carl Miller also worked at Central Soya.
I will finish my transcription of Willshire in the 1950 census next week.
10 comments
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That is a young Dr. Merrill J Osborn.
Author
Sure is!
Thanks Karen for your transcription of the census. Louisa C Buechner was my Great Grandmother. It’s wonderful to see her name and to know where she was living in 1950.
Author
You are welcome! It is interesting to see our relatives in the census. Thanks for writing!
I noticed that the special census form used in Willshire does not show the street or house number on the form like to standard census form. Is there anyway to identify what address Louisa Buechner lived at when the 1950 census was completed? Really appreciate your posts on the 1950 census . Thanks for doing this.
Author
I don’t know if Willshire had a directory in the 1950s. That would be a possible source. Deed records may also be a source for this information. Or maybe a reader remembers where the Willshire residents lived.
I loved reading the list of familiar names on the 1950 census! Parents of classmates & friends & neighbors of my grandparents (Kermit & Irene Bienz)! Brings back many memories. All are gone now but reading the list is heartwarming.
Author
It is good to see that others enjoy looking at this list as much as I do. It certainly does bring back memories. Thanks for writing!
This is great! Ralph w. James Sr was my grandfather! His son Jimmie L. Was my father this is great to see some history! Thank you!
Author
It is always interesting to see your ancestors in historical records! Thanks for writing.