The 1930 US Census
William & Magdeline in Little Black
Line 34 begins the enumeration of the William and “Madgline” Grinkevich family at their
dairy farm in Little Black. Not only are
they the only foreign born citizens on the page, they and their family are the
only ones enumerated that weren’t born in Wisconsin.
In addition to William and Magdeline, the Grinkevich
household consisted of their son, 26 year old Charles, daughter-in law, Clara,
age 24, and grandson, Robert, age 2 years and 6 months who was born in
Illinois. Daughter, Helen left the farm
for Chicago a few weeks before the census to find work. (A blurb in the gossipy local newspaper told of Helen leaving for Chicago. Try as I might, I've been unable to find her enumerated in that city in 1930.)
Notice the neighbors are dairy farmers as well. The only exceptions are a man who is a machinist
at a tin shop, a young woman who is a public school teacher, and a 15 year old
girl who works as a servant in a private home. Two of the neighbor men were
veterans of the World War.
Albert & Agnes Pupp in Chicago
This
enumeration states that Albert, 25, and Agnes Pupp, 22, were renters at 4538
Spaulding Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. By
this time they had a start on a family as “Margery”, age 1 year and 7 months,
and Irvin, 5 months old had arrived.
Both were born in Illinois. The couple paid $33 rent/month to the
landlord, a native of Lithuania. Albert
Pupp was employed as a laborer in a tool manufacturing plant. He was not a
veteran. The family owned a radio.
 | ||
| Click on image to enlarge |
Later in 1930 Albert, Agnes, and
children moved back to Wisconsin. The
Great Depression had cost Albert his job, forcing the family to restart their
lives. Initially they moved to Holton
Township in Marathon County, WI, home of Albert’s parents, then on to a house
just outside Dorchester in neighboring Clark County by 1932 or’33. During these tough economic years Albert
worked on road crews, farms, and even planted trees, doing anything he could to
feed and clothe his growing family.
Joseph & Mary Grinker
 | |
| Click on image to enlarge-census images courtesy of Ancestry.com |
According
to the enumeration, newlyweds Joseph and Mary (Pupp) Grinker were living at
1531 West Adams Street, Chicago, Illinois in 1930. Joe was a World War veteran, and was employed
as a machinist at a radio parts factory.
The couple owned a radio. Mary’s brother, William, lived with them. Very conveniently in the apartment next door
resided two of the Geiger sisters from Clark County, Wisconsin. Both Elsie and Frances Geiger had jobs
ironing at a laundry. (Elsie and William
married in Dorchester one year and five months later. They were the first of
what would be a total of five Pupp siblings that married one of five Geiger
siblings. Four of these couples later appeared on the show "I've Got a Secret" due to the circumstances of marriage). Column 28 asks “Whether actually at work yesterday” (or the last
regular working day). Both William Pupp
and Elsie Geiger answered “No”. We don’t
know from this enumeration if they are laid off, or on a reduced schedule due to the
Depression.
contact me at katdan@centurytel.net
No comments:
Post a Comment