19 March 2011

Look at the Original--1920 Census


There is nothing on this entry I didn't already know, but it makes an excellent point.

The 1920 census for Anna Goldenstein in Adams County lists her and the last half of her children. What is interesting about her entry is that for the place of birth for her parents and for her husband, the enumerator originally wrote "Ostfriesland." Later he realized that he needed to use Germany, so he crossed "Ostfriesland" out and wrote "Ger" over it.
Just goes to show you never know what is on an original record until you look. In 1920 census (and others) enumerators had standardized place names they were supposed to use. Most of the time it happened, but occasionally it didn't. Or, like in this case, it was realized after something else has been written.
And they didn't have whiteout(r) in 1920.