Jim McAnney - Census Detective

Last week I published a link to the 1940 Bass River Township Census. I hope everyone out in the Blog-O-Sphere with Bass River roots found the names of family and friends among the lists. The information should also be helpful to those working on their Bass River family tree.

I should have cautioned those of you who are not familiar with doing census data research that census information is not always complete and can contain errors. The information is only as accurate as the reliability of the census taker and the information provided by the informant in the household. Families can be missed and errors in name spellings and personal information occasionally occur.

Jim McAnney, one of our regular Blog Readers with roots in Bass River, was quick to notice families that were incomplete or omitted entirely from the census. Following is Jim's email listing some omissions that he is aware of. If anyone else out in the Blog-O-Sphere is aware of other omissions or mistakes in the 1940 census data, I would appreciate hearing from you. It would be helpful if you could provide the street where the family lived.

Pete S

Pete,

I can come up with at least 15 names that I think should have been in the census. I’m sure there are more but I came up with these.  Les Allen’s wife and any children that were born by 1940.  Edna Adams (Walter Adam’s wife).  I don’t know when he died but she was living living in the house when I was young.  Walter (Ditty) Loveland, the Leepas, Reuben McAnney, the Lemunyon family, the Sooy family, Harry Allen and family, and the Jack Wiseman family. 

Jim

PS- I see that Beverly Robinson also noticed some census omissions and errors regarding her Bass River ancestors, as posted in her comments to the April 5th Blog entry on the 1940 census (reproduced below). Both she and Jim noticed the Leepa family omission. Sherlock Holmes had his Watson, Batman had his Robin and, now it appears, that Census Detective Jim McAnney also has an assistant -Deputy Census Detective Beverly Robibnson. What a team!


Hi Pete: Thanks for posting the census. One problem; I cannot find a listing for the Leepa family. I looked at names, place of birth and language and no Leepas. Could their farm be considered a part of another township or something? I also find it interesting that my mother Pauline and her younger sister Julia are listed as servants??? I know my mother worked in Phila. as a maid for a while but the listing indicated she was living at home at the time. A mystery. Thanks again. Beverly Mathis Robinson