The 1940 U.S. Census

The 1940 U.S. Census reveals many facts about the family.  Not only does the 1940 census tell us who was in the household at the time, but where they were living in 1935.  Another interesting fact new to census information is how much education a person had received.
The only sibling of John M. Willems living in the United States at the time of the census was Joseph. The last record in my collection of Joe E. Willems was a city directory entry in 1923 when Joe was living in Kirkwood, Missouri selling furniture.  If he was enumerated in the 1930 census, I haven't found him.  However, in 1940 the census shows him living in State Hospital #1 for the Insane in Fulton, Missouri. Joe is listed as having lived there on April 1, 1935.  (The hospital at the time it was established in 1850 had 1250 beds.)  No information regarding his education is listed.

J. E. Willems

John Martin Willems sister-in-law Mary Louise Willems was living in Dallas since her husband, Frank's death.  She lived in Dallas, Texas with her siblings Rose, Frank, and Francis, none of whom were married.  "Louise" had been living in Gerber, California in 1935.  Louise and her siblings all had at least graduated from high school.  Louise's daughter Eleanor was living in Sacramento with her husband Vernon Whelden.  He had three years of high school and she was a high school graduate. Eleanor had a job for the state of California as an accountant while her husband Vernon was an armature winder. In 1935 they had lived in Sacramento, though in a different house.

Vernon and Eleanor Whelden

As for John Martin Willems other widowed sister-in-law, Margaret Guenther Post, she was recorded living in the House of Little Sisters of the Poor in Mobile, Alabama.  Margaret had been living in Mobile in 1935, but not in the same house.  She was recorded as having completed the 7th grade.

John M. Willems household in 1940-click on any image to enlarge

Under the roof of John Martin Willems were only nine of the family.  They were recorded as John, May, Aloys, Francis Joseph, Justin, Annamarie, Ophelia Manus, Margaret, and Johnie Jr. "Willims". (Conspicuously absent are Zola Mae's four sons. ) As head of his household, John reported that he had completed the fifth grade, May, Aloys, and Frank- the eighth grade.  Justin was listed as having graduated high school, Annamarie as having finished 11th grade, Ophelia as having completed 10th grade, Margaret as having completed 9th grade, and John the 6th. Margaret was inadvertently counted twice as she is also listed living in Fort Smith at St. Scholastica Convent and School where she is a novice.  John, Aloys, and Frank are all listed as farmers, and Justin as having a job at a local grocery as a clerk where he'd earned $290 the previous year.  John M. Willems house was reported to be valued at $4000. Four of John Willems children lived nearby on farms of their own.

John and Catherine Schwartz household

John and Catherine Schwartz with children William, 15, James, 11, Charles, 9, Stella M., 8, and Barbara A., age 6. John is listed as being both farmer and miner.  He reportedly earned $350 in 1939 mining coal. The census records Catherine as having one year of high school and her husband John of completing the 5th grade.  Their house was listed as being worth $2500.

Herman and Elizabeth Werner household

Elizabeth supplied the information to the census enumerator for her household.  It lists Herman J. Werner, a 38 year old farmer as its head.  Elizabeth, 33, "Hermenia", age 12, Mary A. 10, "Lenard J.", 8, and Robert, age 4.  The last name for the family listed is Elizabeth A. who was 1 month old. They own their house which is valued at $2500.  Herman had completed 9th grade, and Elizabeth the 8th. Their 3 older children were in school.

Estelle "Tince" and Matt Willems

Matt and Phillip's households were both listed on the same page.  Mathew "Williams" was recorded as being a 28 year old farmer. His wife Estelle, who reported the information regarding her family, was 21.  Both had completed the 8th grade.  Their three daughters, Patricia A., 3, Charlotte, 2 years old, and Anna L. age nine months were not in school yet.  They own their house valued at $200.

Matt and Phillip's households in 1940

"Philip Williams", age 31, was listed as having clerked at the county agent's office.  He earned $900 the previous year in wages.  His wife Irene, age 30 supplied the family's information.  Phillip had finished 9th grade and Irene was a high school graduate.  Their children "Phylis I." age 4 and "Philip J.", age 1, were too young to attend school. The value of their house was listed as $5000.
Fred and Cecilia Willems were living in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Knowing that was a big help in finding them in the census as the transcriber saw them as "Ired Willens" and family.  They lived at 523 East Central, a multifamily address.  They paid $22 a month rent for their apartment.  Fred, age 25, was an electrician for an electrical firm.  He'd worked 52 hours in 1939 earning $1300 for the year.  Twenty three year old Cecilia reported that she had completed two years of high school, and Fred, one.  Their daughter Betty, was age 3, and son Freddie was just a year old.  In 1935 the family lived in Amarillo, Texas.

Fred and Cecilia Willems household

A later post will catch us up with Mathias and Dorothea's survivors and Phillip's sister's families in Streator, Illinois.