Exploratory Data Analysis: Paul Lambertson (1908-1994)

Paul Lambertson (1908-1994) was my maternal great-granduncle.  What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about him.

1. Vital Records

     1.1. Birth Certificate

          Paul was born May 16, 1908 in Hamilton County, Indiana¹.  He was a twin to his sister, Pauline.  I do not yet have a copy of his birth certificate.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper

               Will need to search contemporary newspapers to see if mention was made of Paul's birth.

          1.1.2. Bible Record

               I am not aware of any surviving Bible records for the Lambertson family.  Will continue to reach out to extended family members in hopes that one does exist.

          1.1.3. Baptismal Record

               I am not aware of a baptismal record for Paul, though I do not know the church affiliation of the family at this time.

          1.1.4. Adoption Record

               There is no indication that Paul was adopted.

     1.2. Marriage License

          Paul was married in 1929 in South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana to Goldie R. Laycock.  I do not yet have a copy of the marriage license, nor the exact date of the marriage.

          1.2.1. Marriage notice in newspaper

               Will need to search out mention of their wedding in contemporary newspapers once I determine the exact date of their marriage.

          1.2.2. Anniversary notice

               Once I have determined their wedding date, I will be able to search contemporary newspaper accounts to see if their wedding anniversary was mentioned.  Their 25th anniversary would have been in 1954.

          1.2.3. Divorce decree

               There is no indication that Paul and Goldie were ever divorced.

     1.3. Death Certificate

          Paul died on May 18, 1994 in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana².  I do not have a copy of his death certificate.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

          1.3.1. Obituary in newspaper

               Paul's obituary appeared in the May 20, 1994 edition of the Anderson Herald-Bulletin² 

               Paul's obituary appeared in the May 19, 1994 edition of the Tipton Tribune, in Tipton, Tipton County, Indiana.  I need to obtain a copy to see how it differs from the others.

               Will need to search out other local newspapers, such as Elwood, to see if his obituary was also mentioned.

          1.3.2. Funeral home records

               According to his obituary², arrangements were handled by the Dunnichay Funeral home in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana.  Will need to contact the funeral home to see what records they might have on my next research trip.

          1.3.3. Tombstone photograph

               Paul's tombstone in the Sunset Memorial Cemetery in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana has not been photographed.

2. Census Records

     2.1. Federal Census Records

          2.1.1. 1940 Federal Census

               On April 17, 1940, Paul was enumerated as head of household in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana³, as Paul Lamberson, age 31, born in Indiana.  He was married, had attended 2 years of high school, and was currently working as a paint sprayer in a cabinet factory.  He was living in the same place in 1935.  Also in the household was wife, Goldie, age 30, born in Indiana, working as an assembler of radio and automobile parts.

          2.1.2. 1930 Federal Census

               I have not yet been able to locate Paul and Goldie in the 1930 U.S. census.  They should be located in the South Bend, Indiana area. According to  newspaper accounts, there were living there in April of 1930⁴.

          2.1.3. 1920 Federal Census

               On April 14, 1920, Paul was enumerated in the Charles W. Lambertson household in Elwood, Madison County, Indiana⁵
, as Paul Lambertson, son, age 11, born Indiana.  He had attended school within the year and could read and write.  His father was born in Ohio and mother born in Indiana.

          2.1.4. 1910 Federal Census

               On April 23, 1940, Paul was enumerated in the Charles Lambertson household in Jackson Township, Hamilton County, Indiana^6>, as Paul Lambertson, son, age 1 1/2, born in Indiana.  Both of his parents were listed as being born in Indiana.

     2.2. State Census Records

          The State of Indiana conducted state census in 1853, 1857, 1871, 1877, 1883, 1889, 1901, 1913, 1919 and 1921.  These, however, were merely for the purpose of determining legislative apportionment.

     2.3. Agricultural Census Records

          I have not yet investigated these types of census records to see what light they might shed on the Lambertson farm.

3. Military Records

     3.1. Draft Registration

          I have not located an draft registration records for Paul.

     3.2. Pension Records

          I am not aware of any military pension records for Paul.

     3.3. Service Records

          One service record for Paul has been located, which indicated he enlisted on November 18, 1943 and was released on December 20, 1945⁷.  I do not know what branch of service.

          This is the first record I have located that relates to military service, as his obituary did not mention it.

4. Land Records

     4.1. Deed Records

          Deed records need to be thoroughly searched in St. Joseph and Madison Counties, Indiana to see what records might mention Paul.  Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

     4.2. Plat map / county map

          Madison County, Indiana published plat maps in 1940, 1949, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1969 and 1970 that might be relevant to my research.

5. Supplemental records

     Supplemental records available for research for Paul include city/county directories, court records and will and probate records.  Will add these to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.

     In 1935, Paul was listed in the Elwood, Madison County, Indiana city directory with wife Goldie living at 1319 North C. Street, working as a cabinet worker.⁸.

     In 1938, Paul was listed in the Elwood, Madison County, Indiana city directory with wife Goldie living at 320 Main Street, working as a finisher at Sellers Cabinets⁹

    In 1941, Paul was listed in the Elwood, Madison County, Indiana city directory with wife Goldie living at 523 North 16th Street, working at Delco-Remy¹⁰.

     In 1943, Paul was listed in the Elwood, Madison County, Indiana city directory with wife Goldie and one child at 2505 Main Street¹¹.

     In 1947, Paul was listed in the Elwood, Madison County, Indiana city directory with wife Goldie and one child at 2031 North C Street¹².

     In 1957, Paul was listed in the Elwood, Madison County, Indiana city directory with wife Goldie as owner of Elwood Court, which was also their residence¹³

     In 1959, Paul was listed in the Elwood, Madison County, Indiana city directory with wife Goldie as owner of Elwood Court Motel, which was also their residence, State Road 37¹⁴.


Sources:

1. Beals, John, Chronology of the Beals Family, Butler Printing House, Noblesville, Indiana, 1912, page 50.
2. Obituary of Paul Lambertson, Anderson Herald-Bulletin, Anderson, Indiana, May 20, 1994.
3. 1940 U.S. census, Madison County, Indiana, population schedule, Elwood, Pipe Creek Township, ED 48-67, SD 11, sheet 9B, dwelling 1601, family 245; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com: accessed 16 February 2013); National Archives, Washington, D.C.
4. Paul Lambertson of South Bend article, Tipton Tribune, Tipton, Indiana, April 23, 1930, page 3. "Paul Lambertson of South Bend spent Sunday with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lambertson and daughter".
5. Charles W. Lambertson household, 1920 U.S. census, Madison County, Indiana, Pipe Creek Township., ED 138, SD 84, sheet 6, dwelling 138, family 143; National Archives micropublication T625, roll 449.
6. Charles Lambertson household, 1910 U.S. census, Hamilton County, Indiana, Jackson Township, ED 104, SD 9, sheet 6, dwelling 156, family 158; National Archives micropublication T624, roll 353.
7. Ancestry.com, U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 [database online]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File. Washington, D.C.: US Department of Veterans Affairs.
8. Elwood, Indiana Directory 1935 (Binghampton, NY, USA: The Calkin-Kelly Directory Company, 1935), page 112.
9. National's Elwood Indiana Directory 1938, Vol. 1, No. 6 (Peoria, Illinois, USA: National Directory Service, 1938), page 157.
10. The Baldwin and Call-Leader Elwood Indiana Con Survey Directory Master Edition 1941 (Parsons, Kansas, USA: Baldwin Con Survey Company and Elwood Call-Leader, 1941), page 168.
11. The Mullin-Kile Elwood Indiana Con Survey Directory Master Edition 1945 (Hebron, Nebraska, USA: The Mullin-Kile Company, 1945), page 164.
12. The Mullin-Kile Elwood Indiana Resident Directory and Cosmopolitan Telephone Directory 1947-1948 (Columbus, Ohio, USA: The Mullin-Kile Company, 1948), page 267.
13. The Mullin-Kile Elwood Con Survey City Directory Master Edition (1957) Chillicothe, Ohio, USA: Mullin-Kile Company, 1957), page 276.
14. Polk's Elwood (Madison County, Ind.) City Directory 1959 (Cincinnati, Ohio, USA: R.L. Polk & Company, 1959), page 112.



This post was developed as part of the series relating to Building My 2011 Research Template, an attempt to systematically document and source the details of my ancestors' lives. Comments regarding this template and the conclusions drawn in this article are welcomed.