Census Sunday : Ralph Fisher household, 1940, Madison County, Indiana

My maternal first cousin three times removed, Ralph Fisher, was enumerated in the 1940 census in Anderson, Madison County, Indiana.  He was living in a rented home in Ward 2 of the city.

1940 US Census, Madison County, Indiana, population schedule, Ward 2, Anderson, enumeration district (ED) 48-14, SD 11, sheet 7B, household 159, 130 West North Street, ; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 March 2015); National Archives, Washington, D.C..

The family consisted of Ralph, aged 34, his wife, Helen, aged 29, and two children, Clara, aged 15, and Betty, aged 7.  Ralph, Helen and Betty were born in Indiana, and Clara was born in Illinois.  The residence in 1935 for Ralph and Helen were listed in the same place, but for Clara it was listed as Mt. Vernon, Illinois.  Perhaps in 1935, Clara was living with another relative, as Ralph and Helen were married in 1931 in Madison County, Indiana.  Mt. Vernon, Illinois was where Ralph had lived with his first wife, Nellie.

Ralph's occupation was listed as a fender mechanic at an auto parts manufacturer, and Helen's was listed as a billing clerk for the Assessor's office.  Ralph had only completed the 6th grade in education, and Helen had completed one year of college.

Prior to this find, I was not aware of the existence of Clara, daughter of Ralph from his first marriage.  I will have additional research to do to find out more about her and her mother. Cousin Helen eventually became the second wife of my maternal great-grandfather, Clemon Lambertson as well.  


Census Sunday is a daily blogging prompt used by many genealogy bloggers to help them post content on their sites.

State & Federal census sheets are filled with information for genealogists. Both the population & non-population schedules give us insights into the lives of our ancestors. What have you found that is Surprising? Reassuring? Bewildering? Census Sunday is a daily blogging prompt suggested by Colleen Pasquale of Leaves and Branches.