Seeing my ancestors and relatives in historical documents is
really exciting for me. They were there,
then, doing something! They existed not just to me and my family, but in some
way, to the world. I love uncovering the layers of their lives.
The very first document that I found on my paternal
great-grandmother Beatrice Harris was the 1930 Census, also known as the
Fifteenth Census of the United
States: 1930 Population Schedule. Taken
every 10 years and released to the public 72 years later, federal census
records are a great way to track families and individuals over time. At their
most basic, they tell us where people were living when, who they’re living with,
where they’re from, and how old everyone is. Depending on the year, we can also
learn what they do for a living, whether or not they can read or write, how
many children they gave birth to, whether they are veterans (and in which war
they fought), whether they own or rent their home, what they pay in rent, what
they earned in the previous year, and more. Treasure trove of info.
Here’s a snippet from the page listing Beatrice in 1930.
So what did I learn?
Jefferson County, AL |
First off, she’s living in the unincorporated town of Majestic, Alabama.
Located in Jefferson County in north-central Alabama,
Majestic was a coal town just north of Birmingham,
which was a huge population center and major economic powerhouse in the South because
of booming coal, steel and iron industries, supported by a thriving network of
railroads.
Ardenia (Jackson) Harris and daughter Lillian |
Beatrice is 16 years old and living with her mom,
33-year-old Ardenia Harris, and her 14 year-old sister Lillian. Ardenia – my grandmother’s
grandmother – is married and has been since she was 16, but her husband (whom I
would assume is still Solomon Harris, as they married in 1914) is apparently
not in the household. Where’s Solomon? Ardenia’s obituary notes that he died
before her – perhaps they were in Majestic because he worked in the coal mines
and something happened to him while they were living in that community? She was remarried by 1935.
Or perhaps he’s elsewhere in the community – while I’ve had no luck name-searching
him in 1930, I’ll go back and browse page-by-page to see if he can be found that
way.
In addition to the three women of the family, there’s also a
baby in the house, Robert Johnson, listed as Ardenia’s grandson. He’s listed as
only 4 months old! (While this census doesn’t specify, we know that this is
Beatrice’s son, my grandmother’s oldest brother.) So that’s three generations
in this one record!
But wait, there are other people in the household, as well!
Four boarders, men who rented rooms in the house and perhaps
took meals cooked by Ardenia or her daughters, are living in the home. Given
the absence of a husband, it seems this is how Ardenia was able to support her
family and make ends meet. Well, hello there, entrepreneurship!
Census taker's notes on Ardenia's occupation and industry, 1930 Census. |
There’s 44-year-old Will Austin, a widower from
Florida, plus 20-year-old Lawrence Roy or Ray, 21-year-old Luzzill Ross or Rass,
and 19-year-old Marshall Evans, all single and all from Alabama. All were coal
miners. I wonder, was it fun and exciting for these teenage girls to live in
the same building as these single men? Or was it scary and uncomfortable?
What else do we learn?
- Ardenia is renting their home in Majestic, for $6 a month. This would be about $85 in today’s money.
- Everyone in Beatrice’s family is listed as having been born in Alabama, as are all of their parents. In fact, the vast majority of folks in this community, black and white, were from Alabama.
- Neither Beatrice nor Lillian had a job (at least one that they told the census taker about), but neither had they been in school at any point between September 1, 1929 and April of 1930. However, both girls, as well as their mom Ardenia are listed as being able to read and write.
Interestingly, this is the only Census record that I can find for Beatrice. Since she was born in 1915 and census records are available up to 1940, I should be able to find her both in 1920 and 1940. But I haven't. Yet. But this just makes me even more grateful that I was able to find her in this one - it's an interesting snapshot of what her life looked like as a teenager, and it's a jumping off point for a few stories I'm going to be exploring later on.
Do you know anything about the family's life in Majestic, AL? Or where Ardenia's husband is? Please share!
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