Carolina Family Roots: Census

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Census Sunday~Stephen David Purvis

It’s not unusual to find censuses where a person is listed in two separate households and there is generally some logical explanation on why and how this would occur.

But, what is the probability of a single individual being listed on the same page for a census three times? On Friday, I received a FGS sheet on Stephen David Purvis from a dear friend in So. Jordan, Utah. I have looked at and researched every Purvis in Chesterfield County trying to find a connection to my William A. Purvis that lived in Anson County, NC just across the State line, about 5 miles as a crows fly.

Some of the information on the FGS was unfamiliar so I decided to take another look on Ancestry at Stephen David Purvis. When I got to the 1880 census this is what I found.¹

Now, I have no explanation why Stephen David Purvis is in 3 separate households on the same page nor why he is listed as head of household in 2 of the 3 listings.

On Line 27, Dwelling 376, Family 376 he is listed with his wife and children. 1

Stephen D. PURVIS, male, age 39, born in SC;
Effie PURVIS, Wife, age 35, born in SC;
William PURVIS, Son, age 15, born in SC;
Josephine PURVIS, daughter, age 11, born in SC;
Sidney PURVIS, Son, age 10, born in SC;
Alexander PURVIS, Son, age 7, born in SC;
Sarah Jane PURVIS, Daughter, age 6, born in SC and
Lilly A. PURVIS, daughter, age 3, born in SC.

On Line 45, Dwelling 380, Family 380; he is listed with Thomas SMITH, age 23.²

On Line 49, Dwelling 382, Family 382; He is in the Household of John BRIGMANN, age 19.³
If you have a logical explanation for multiple listing such as this one I would lover to hear your comments.

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[1] 1880 U S Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 005, Page 331A; Line 27, Dwelling 376, Family 376, Household of Stephen D. PURVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 31 August 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm T9-1225.
[2] 1880 U S Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 005, Page 331A; Line 45-46, Dwelling 380, Family 380, Household of Stephen D. PURVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 31 August 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm T9-1225.
[3] 1880 U S Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 005, Page 331A; Line 48-49, Dwelling 382, Family 382, Stephen D. PURVIS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 31 August 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm T9-1225.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

The CCC & WPA and the 1940 Census

With the upcoming 1940 Census you are going to see a lot of references to the CCC and the WPA. Two questions on the census are directly related to government jobs.

Randy Seaver [1]in his blog "What Columns of the 1940 U.S. Census Will be Indexed?" states that Question 21 & 22 on the Census are:

21. Was this person at Work for pay or profit in private or non-emergency Govt. work during week of March 24-30?
22. If not, was he at work on, or assigned to, public Emergency Work (WPA, NYA, CCC, etc.) during week of March 24-30?

The CCC – Civilian Conservation Corps[2] - and the WPA – Works Project Administration[3] was projects of President Franklin D. Roosevelt New Deal Agency. The purpose of these two programs was to employ millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects.

When Congress passed the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 on April 8, 1935 the WPA was funded. The Work Progress Administration, later renamed Work Project Administration (WPA) was the larger of these two organizations. The WPA built many new infrastructures throughout the United States such and bridges and buildings. It also fed the children and redistributed food, clothing, and housing.

At its peak in 1938, the WPA employed over 3 million men and some women.

On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was bombed and America entered World War II. This led to an economic boom and low unemployment with ultimate official termination of the WPA on 30 June 1943.

The CCC – Civilian Conservation Corps was established to employ young men in relief families who were unable to find employment during the Great Depression. It was primarily for single men, age 17-23 from relief families. These men reforest America, built roads and over 800 parks throughout the United States.

Among the many treasures I have from my "metal detecting" hobby is this belt buckle.