26 October 2012

Besides the Names?

Year: 1910; Census Place: BaradaRichardsonNebraska; Roll: T624_854; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 0162; Image: 31; FHL microfilm: 1374867

The 63 year old "Nancy J" was the person of interest in this 1910 census enumeration from Richardson County, Nebraska. She's living with her husband Charles who is shown as the head of the household. What is unusual about this entry is that Nancy and her parents were all born in Pennsylvania. There are two widowed brothers living nearby, about Nancy's age, who are also born in Pennsylvania with parents born in that same state.

Now a census can easily have incorrect locations, but a look at this and other pages indicates that there are few Pennsylvanians in the area? Is it a fluke or is there something more?

Turns our that the brothers have the same last name (Wolf) that was Nancy's maiden name (which I already knew from other sources). Is that a coincidence? Maybe or maybe not, but it makes the point that looking at the neighbors is important--and do not just look at their names.

If I had not known Nancy's maiden name, the brothers still would have warranted some interest, given the same set of places of birth as Nancy, their approximate same age, and the fact that Pennsylvanians were scarce in the area.

Are you looking for clues in places besides names?

The names in the entry can be seen here:
Year: 1910; Census Place: BaradaRichardsonNebraska; Roll: T624_854; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 0162; Image: 31; FHL microfilm: 1374867
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