1940 Census

[cberhomengarden]

I've been spending time looking for my house as well as my grandparents' houses.
It is not easy, but I finally found the Enumeration District for my house. They divided up the neighborhood in an odd way, so I first found my neighbors' house on the next block, but ours was in a totally different ED.
I had to go page by page through the 33 pg map of the borough of Queens to find it.
It had the 1930 ED listed in darker ink. The 1940 ED was very light and I would have missed it if I didn't know the neighbor's ED.

I found out that we are NOT the second owners of the house, but most likely the third owners.
Our head of household was 35 yrs old & a real estate broker, with a wife, also 35, a son 7, & a daughter 5.
He made $2800 the prior year in income.
The house was valued at I think $4600.
Oddly my next door neighbor's house was valued at $5100, and it's the exact same house & lot size. This gives us more reason to think the garage was added later (it is not listed on our original deed).

I find it fascinating to view the forms. I kept thinking that my kids probably can't read the script handwriting.

I still haven't found my grandparents, so I'm not sure I have their correct address for 1940.

[nezwick]

Mine is valued at $1200.00 in 1930, but only $900 in 1940. That doesn't really make sense to me, since one would think that property values would be low just after the "crash" but would have rebounded after 10 years.

Those numbers just blow my mind. Last year it appraised at $81,000 ish, which is average for the old, run-down housing stock around here. Crazy amount of inflation.

Interesting point re. the cursive writing - I am 23 and I can read it fine, but I can't write it. We learned it in Elementary school but I haven't used it since like 4th grade. It's probably going to be totally lost on this generation growing up now.

[McCall]

Finally found my house, in Weirton, in 1940 it was owned by A.G Davis age 77 or 91 not sure which, wish they printed back then, his wife Mauguerite, age 37, [you go guy] brother in law Frank Latkievng? age 26, his wife Charlotte age 29, Frank Junior, and son Arthur age 1.
Seems A.G was from Greece and was a Real Estate Broker.
Value of home in 1940 was 15K.

[mross_pitt]

Wow, how did they keep track of the info? My street is divided up on numerous pages(various streets in between)...no house numbers,...and my home's original owner is listed towards the end and under no street at all.

I knew all the info provided because the person who built our home lived by herself to the age of 102 She had the house designed by an architect. The house was valued at $9500. Is that provided by the owner? She worked for the phone company and made almost 3 times the average salary for the 1940's.

[YinzerMama]

Wow, how did they keep track of the info? My street is divided up on numerous pages(various streets in between)...no house numbers,...and my home's original owner is listed towards the end and under no street at all.

Yeah Shaler is a mess. I don't know how other places compare. Did they really not have house numbers here back then, do you know???

the gorgeous stone porch house across from me was rented at $21 a month!!!

[oldhouseluvr]

56 pages in my district but I finally found our house. None of the houses are numbered, but I have done research on our POs and know msot (maybe all) of the family names. I was surprised, however, to discover that the house was rented in 1940. The tenants paid $25/month. The Lilley family lived here and included Leonard, Leonice, their two children - James and Mary Jane, and Leonard's father, James Sr.

[YinzerMama]

56 pages in my district but I finally found our house. None of the houses are numbered, but I have done research on our POs and know msot (maybe all) of the family names. I was surprised, however, to discover that the house was rented in 1940. The tenants paid $25/month. The Lilley family lived here and included Leonard, Leonice, their two children - James and Mary Jane, and Leonard's father, James Sr.

I am surprised to find mine was rented as well.

A lot of houses seemed to be.

I wonder if there "landlord" was the bank? Is it possible renters just didnt own outright?

My house was rented for 75 a month and my neighbors for 21 - which is crazy as her house is a very nice house and just as big.

[mross_pitt]

Did they really not have house numbers here back then, do you know???

I think they had to have house numbers by 1940. There were a lot of houses in Shaler by then. However, I did find lots of old boxes shipped to my previous 1920's house, and they were shipped to RFD(rural free delivery) box numbers.

[cberhomengarden]

Did they really not have house numbers here back then, do you know???

I think they had to have house numbers by 1940. There were a lot of houses in Shaler by then. However, I did find lots of old boxes shipped to my previous 1920's house, and they were shipped to RFD(rural free delivery) box numbers.

That's a good point, the house where I grew up still had a RFD # address until we moved out in the late 80's.
I guess the postal workers just knew who lived where.

[jwesevich]

I got a kick out of one entry in my town where this very detailed family + rent, etc. info was provided by "next door neighbor."

Gotta love small towns!
jeff