This is part 2. See part 1.

Todds on Tioga Street in 1940

With enumeration district 51-1884 in hand, I went searching the 1940 census for my Todds. They were easy to find, showing up on the fourth image. Living with John and Olivia Todd were their son, John A. Todd, Jr. and their daughter Elizabeth Campbell, as well as Elizabeth’s daughter, Honor. I still don’t know who Mr. Campbell was. I had guessed she had been married to a Campbell from her SS-5, but have yet to find him. Great Aunt Bessie later married a Mr. Tilsner.

Emboldened by my success, I sat down to figure out where my Conrads might be in 1940. At first I was not sure, but then I remembered I had two documents that could help: my grandfather’s SS-5 from 1937 and his father’s death certificate from 1942. I knew from my father, born in 1937, that he had lived with his grandfather as a young child. I was in luck. Both listed the address of 2069 Clarence Street.

Off to Google maps, where I found something interesting. The Conrads lived right around the corner from the Todds:


View 1940 Census in a larger map

Now this isn’t unusual by any means, but it was interesting that I had not stumbled across this fact until now.

Conrads around the corner on Clarence

Conrads around the corner on Clarence continued

Another family found and I did not even need to figure out the enumeration district. Three images beyond the Todds, were the Conrads: Edward and Susan Conrad (John A. Todd’s son-in-law and daughter), their children Doris and Charles, and Edward’s father, Nicholas.

There are two improvements in my mind in 1940 for the census. One is the legibility factor. While I have still come across some poor handwriting, for the most part the letters are crafted in ways that are decipherable to me. We have finally reached modern style handwriting in full. The second is the x with a circle around it to indicate who answered the questions. This is a big help in determining how much credence we should put in those answers. Neighbor Bob might not be as reliable a source on the Smiths as Mrs. Smith would be.

Still, misinformation appears. My great-grandfather was born in Scotland. This is a well-known fact in the family. I was told this as a young child. Every census prior to this one listed his birthplace as Scotland. Certainly his daughter, who answered the questions according to the notation beside her name, knew this. And yet, this is what was recorded by the census taker:

John A. Todd, born in Pennsylvania?

The census provides loads of information and clues, but is by no means a stopping point in research. Reliability is not its strong suit.

CONRAD, Nicholas: Death Certificate 1942

Transcribed from a photocopy obtained from the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records.

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
Certficate of Death

1. Place of Death
County: Philadelphia
City: Phila.
Name of Hospital: Protestant Episcopal Hosp.

2. Usual Residence of Deceased
State: Pa.
County: Phila.
City: Philadelphia
Street No. 2069 E. Clarence St.

3. Full Name: Nicholas Conrad
4. Sex: M
5. Color or Race: W
6. Widowed
Wife: Sophia Conrad
7. Birth date of deceased: Feb. 22, 1867
8. Age: 75 yrs, 8 Months, 24 Days
9. Birthplace: Phila.
10. Usual Occupation: Warper
11. Industry or Business: Textile
12. Father Name: Nicholas Conrad
13. Father Birthplace: Unknown
14. Mother Name: Unknown
15. Mother Birthplace: Unknown
16. Informant’s own signature: [signed] Edward C. Conrad
Address: 2069 E. Clarence St. Phila. Pa.
17: Burial, Date: Nov. 20, 1942, Place: Northwood, Phila. Co.
18. Signature of funeral director: [signed] John N. Hackman
Address: 905-07 W. Lehigh ave. Hackman Bros., Inc.
19. Date received: Nov. 20, 1942
20: Date of Death: Nov. 16, 1942, 7:00 P.M.
…

Transcribed from a photocopy obtained from the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records.

Certificate of Death
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
County of Phila.
2069 E. Clarence St.
Phila

Full Name: Sophia Conrad
Residence, No. 2069 E. Clarence St., Ward 45th
Sex: Female
Color or Race: white
Married
Husband: Nicholas Conrad
Date of Birth: November 30, 1870
Age: 64 years, 19 days
Occupation: Housewife
Birthplace: Penna
Father: James Levens
Birthplace of Father: Ireland
Maiden Name of Mother: Margaret McElhenny
Birthplace of Mother: Penna
Informant: Edward Conrad, 2069 E. Clarence St.
Filed Dec 21, 1934
Date of Death: Dec 19, 1934
…
Place of Burial: Northwood Cemetery
Date of Burial: December 24, 1934
Undertaker: Christian F. Brenner, 1532 N. 4th St.

CONRAD: 1880 Census: PA Phila
ED356, p12-13
04 Jun 1880

N. 4th St.
1729 105 125  Conrad, Catherine W F 46  Head Wd  None               
                               Wurt. Wurt. Wurt.
                           John W M 24  Son   S  Works in Cotton Mill  
                               Phila. Bavaria Wurt.
                        Charles W M 21  Son   S  Works in Silk Mill    
                               Phila. Bavaria Wurt.
                           Fred W M 16  Son   S  Works in Silk Mill    
                               Phila. Bavaria Wurt.
                        Nicloss W M 13  Son   S  Works in Silk Mill    
                               Phila. Bavaria Wurt.
                        William W M 11  Son   S  At school             
                               Phila. Bavaria Wurt.
                         George W M 8   Son   S  At School             
                               Phila. Bavaria Wurt.
                           Kate W F 6   Dau   S                        
                               Phila. Bavaria Wurt.
         126       Bauers, John W M 25  Head  M  Works at [illegible]  
                                Phila. ENG ENG
                           Lena W F 26  Wife  M  Keeping house         
                                Phila. Bavaria Wurt.
                          Ellen W F 3   Dau   S                        
                                Phila. Bavaria Wurt.

CONRAD: 1900 Census: PA Phila
19th Wd, ED371, p11
12 and 13 Jun 1900

N. 4th St.
1729 204 219  Conrad, Catharine  Head  W F  Apr 1834  66  Wd 47 10 7  
                          GER GER GER  1852 48  None            O M H
                      Frederick  Son   W M  July 1864 35   S           
                          PA GER GER            Cotton Warper  
                      Nicholaus  Son   W M  Feb 1867  33   S           
                          PA GER GER            Cotton Warper
                         George  Son   W M  Apr 1872  28   M 3         
                          PA GER GER            Stocking Weaver

CONRAD: 1910 Census: PA Phila
25 Wd, ED560, p3A
16 Apr 1910

Stella Ave.
66 67  Conrad, Nicholas  Head  M W 42  M 5  PA GER GER  
                       [occupation illegible]    R H
                 Sophia  Wife  F W 43  M 5  PA IRE GER  
                       None
                 Edward  Son   M W  4  S    PA PA PA

CONRAD: 1920 Census: PA Phila
25 Wd, ED775, p11B
12-14 Jan 1920

Stella Ave.
2146 215 226  Conrad, Nicholas  Head  R  M W 50 M  PA GER GER  
                          Cloth Mill
                        Sophie  Wife     F W 52 M  PA IRE PA   
                          None
                     Edward C.  Son      M W 14 S  PA PA PA    
                          None (attended school)

CONRAD: 1930 Census: PA Phila
ED51-963, p18A, pp185
22 Apr 1930

C Street
3137 314 333  Conrad, Nicholas  Head  r $30 Yes No  M W 61 M 35  
                           PA GER GER       Warp---- ----- Mill 
                        Sophie  Wife                F W 62 M 36  
                           PA North IRE PA      None