Sunday, October 7, 2007

The Wanderer

They call me the wanderer, yeah I'm a wanderer,
I go around around around around.

I've had difficulty finding some relatives in the various census - due to name spellings, etc. But now I have run across the inverse.

A relative recently sent me a huge Register for one branch of the family, and in it is someone who I will call B.

On Jan 3, 1920, the census taker in St. Louis, MO knocked on the door, where B, his wife, and six kids were living. He was 53. Immigrated to the US in 1885. Naturalized in an unknown year. His mother tongue was 'Jewish'.

On Feb 3, 1920, the census taker in Greenville TX, knocked on the door where B's son, J. was a boarder. But according to the census, B was a boarder there too! Must have been visiting his son, and must have decided, "Cool! Another census taker! Don't forget to count me!" He was now 54. (We don't know when his birthday was - it's possible he actually was a year older.) He immigrated in 1891, and was naturalized in 1906. His mother tongue was Polish.

On Feb 11, 1920, the census taker in Redbud TX, knocked on the door of B's brother S. Guess who must have been visiting that day? Almost 200 miles from Greenville, but he had a full week to get there. Still 54. Immigrated in 1887, Naturalized in 1900. Russian was his mother tongue.

Apparently those are all we've found -- but not necessarily all there is. His occupation on all three is 'Merchant'. It also leaves me wondering what the 'record' is. Most 'appearances' in a single census year for one person.

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