The 1950 United States Census was released today! You can view it online for free by visiting the Official 1950 Census Website. The National Archives has used optical character recognition software to index the census, so it is already searchable.

To celebrate the census release, here is my grandpa Daniel Graham in the 1950 census for New Madrid County, Missouri.

The top of the page recorded the pertinent location information. State: Missouri. County: New Madrid. Incorporated place or township: New Madrid. Enumeration District number: 72-38. This sheet was enumerated on 9 May 1950 by Opal J. Talbert.

Name of street, avenue, or road

Block one is “Name of street, avenue, or road.” I believe it says, “1 Ditch west Kewanee.” Kewanee is an unincorporated community in New Madrid Township that started as a sawmill camp for Fisher Lumber Company in 1907.

Dan Graham and family, 1950 Census.

Line 12 recorded Dan Graham, head of household, white male, age 40 (which is consistent with his 1909 birth), born in Arkansas. It was recorded that Dan worked 48 hours the previous week as “day labor” for a private employer.

Line 13 recorded Dan’s wife Blanche, a white female, age 35, born in Arkansas. Her job was recorded as keeping house.

Next was their son Leroy (here spelled “LeRoy”), a white male, age 17, single, born in Arkansas.

The next line was their daughter Janice, a white female, age 15, single, born in Arkansas.

Next up was their son William, a white male, age 13, single, born in Arkansas. William is my dad!

Finally, their youngest son Jimmie (here spelled “Jimmy”), a white male, age 9, single, and born in Arkansas.

Line 13, where Blanche was recorded, had some additional questions:

  • “Was he living in this same house a year ago?” to which Blanche answered yes.
  • “What country were his father and mother born in?” The United States.
  • “What is the highest grade of school that he as attended?” Tenth grade.
  • “Did he finish this grade?” No.

The rest of the extra questions pertained to work and income, which Blanche indicated she had none.

Bibliography

1950 U.S. Census, New Madrid County, Missouri, Enumeration District 72-38, population schedule, dwelling 243, Dan Graham household; digital image, National Archives (https://1950census.archives.gov/).

Wikipedia contributors, “Kewanee, Missouri,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kewanee,_Missouri&oldid=1036357831 (accessed April 2, 2022).

Spradling, Vornon L. “Kewanee.” Essay. In Historical New Madrid County: Mother of Southeast Missouri. New Madrid, Missouri: New Madrid County Teachers Association, 1948. https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/mocohist/id/94594/rec/1