The Half-Way Point

 

Well, FamilySearch is at the halfway point in completing the index for the 1940 US Census.   You can read about this accomplishment here. I have enjoyed being a tiny part of this history making event.  Here of some of the States I have helped to index.  

I tried to pick States where I knew there had been family living.  I was hoping to accidentally find someone that was related to our family.  While that hasn't happened, yet anyway, I have been amazed at the diversity of our great country.  I have index names from a convent, a US Navy base, and a prison. I have indexed names from Japan (in researching the correct spelling of names I know some of them were interred), Spain, China, Mexico, Italy, Yugoslavia, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Canada, Ireland, England and on and on.   I have indexed a 64 year old who was living with a 71 year mother.  Not sure how that happens!!  Also, I indexed a mother-in-law who was a man, a son that was female, etc.  You get the idea.  While we know these are inaccurate the rule is to type what you see.  So, that is what I do. Family members who know will have to sort that all out!!

I also became a brand new arbitrator on the 1940 US Census!!  I have been indexing for many years now and decided now was a great time to start arbitrating.  I have enjoyed it. There is help out there from FamilySearch with training, and articles like these.  And there is a Skype group and a Facebook page where you can share a batch and others will help you decipher some of the more difficult handwriting. You never have to feel alone when you are indexing or arbitrating. 

I am looking forward to the Index being completed.  I know there is family waiting to be found. I wonder who is out there Indexing my family names.  I wonder who is going to be happy to find family names I am Indexing. 

It's not to late to become a part of this wonderful endeavor to Index the 1940 US Census.  More information on how to join this great project can be found here.   Oh, and check out this great map, here, that shows the status of each state!  California is almost done!!