What I Found on The 1940 Census!

All of my life I'd been told my Grandpa Dreher was a farmer, and cabinet maker. Times were tough during the depression, and he even made moonshine at one point to support his family!

But I had no idea that he'd worked for the WPA!

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I guess I was one of the lucky ones yesterday. The Indiana Census was partially up when I got to my computer. And Floyd County was up. Georgetown, the town I was looking for was up, and it was divided into only 2 districts. In town. And Surrounding Town [rural farm land]. I knew I would be looking for out of town, so I went to the Surrounding Town district. And in only about 3 minutes of search time I came across my Grandparents, my Mother and all four of her siblings, not to mention about 35 families that are related as aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. It was a gold mine!

In taking a closer look at my Grandparents....

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There I found Grandpa listed as peron who "Takes Care of Tools" for the "WPA". Now, who forgot to tell me about that??? Including Grandpa when I'd asked????

And there, listed at the very bottom of the family? That little 1-year old is my Mother!!!

I'd always been told, even by Grandma, that she had been the one who always made her family move alot. That they never stayed in one house more than about 3 or 4 years. But here, it says they lived in the same house for five years at least. Quite interesting!

I'd also been told that Grandma finished her education [high school]. One time I'd asked her how, since I knew she got married young. Come to find out? Neither grandparent had. Grandpa is listed as having an 8th grade education, and Grandma only a 6th, I do know that Grandpa never stopped studying his whole life. [I've written previously about his obsession with reading the dictionary!] Both were highly intelligent individuals, so a less than stellar education didn't harm either of them! And they were determined their children would do better than they, and they did!

I am thrilled with the finds I made! And in such order!

The key was in knowing where to look to begin with! And that certainly was worth the look!