Thousands (millions?) of people began trying to access the Archives.co
Site for the 1940 Census early this morning only to learn that all was not well. Too many hits added to servers that just didn’t seem ready for 37 million hits created that loud crashing sound we heard. Joining in the cacophony were the anguished cries of genealogists, media, and those at the National Archives.
For 20 minutes this morning, I jumped on Ancestry.com and found the “1940′s era” records are now free for another week. I found my dad’s parents (Loyd and Ella Amore) in a 1930 directory. That was exciting because I have yet to find them in the 1930 census! I found them again – on a different house in the 1932 and 1934 directories in Coshocton, Ohio.
Returning home from work this afternoon, I first perused Facebook statuses and tweets from Twitter to get a sense as to what everyone was saying about the release of the 1940 Census. The news was not good. There were a lot of frustrated people. I pulled up three sites – the official census site (Archives), Ancestry and familysearch.
On Ancestry I saw that the Indiana records were available so I started with Lexington, Scott county, Indiana. On the last of the enumeration district’s 38 pages, I found my great-grandfather – Joe Wilt – and his wife. HAPPY DANCE!! Later on I found 2 other collateral relatives/ancestors in Madison county.
About 30 minutes ago, I indexed my first page – Oregon. Looking forward to doing more.
And for everyone who is frustrated, it will get better! We have waited this long – a little longer is not going to hurt. The census will still br there so while we are waiting, lets spend some time with the living!
Have you searched for your Army Air Corps father, or had any thoughts about approaching how you’ll do it? My father joined the Army Air Corps in January 1940. He was not enumerated with his family, and he tells me he might have been “on a train” during census-taking time! He was stationed at MacDill AFB in Tampa, which at the time was just an army airfield. It doesn’t seem to have its own institutional ED. I thought I identified the ED from a 1940 map, but only a few families show up at the airfield. Could some of our soldiers have missed being enumerated?
I see according to Geneabloggers today is your 4th anniversary which you have been blogging. Happy Blogiversary.
Regards, Jim
Genealogy Blog at Hidden Genealogy Nuggets