My Maternal Grandfather in 1940

1940 U.S. census, St. Clair County, Michigan, population schedule, Port Huron (Ward 4), enumeration district (ED) 44, sheet 7A, family 150, John V. Pemberton household; digital images, 1940 Census (http://1940census.archives.gov : accessed 2 April 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication T627, roll 1816.

Just like my paternal grandparents, my maternal grandfather, John Peter Pemberton, was exactly where I thought he would be: 729 12th St. in Port Huron, St. Clair, Michigan. This was my only grandparent who was living in an urban area in 1940. No worries, though. He was still easy to find using Steve Morse's one-step ED Finder. I figured the family would be at 729 12th St. because of the 1938-39 Port Huron City Directory that is online at the St. Clair County Library System's website. This was also the address given on my grandfather's social security application that he applied for in 1943. Using the one-step ED Finder and present-day Google maps of Port Huron, I determined that the ED would be 74-44.

In the household were my great-grandparents, John V. and Mabel E. (Crysler) Pemberton. The family owned their home, which was valued at $1,200. John's education level was given as 7th grade, but Mabel's is somewhat hard to read. It almost looks like the letter "N," but it doesn't look like the rest of the enumerator's "N" marks on the page. My best guess is that it is 11th grade (with a pen mark between the 1's), but I'm not too certain. John V. was age 32, born in Michigan, and worked as a rod mill hand at a factory. This was probably Mueller Brass, as the city directory in 1938-39 lists him as an employee there, and his 1950 obit lists him as a press operator for Mueller Brass. Mabel was age 30 and also born in Michigan. My grandfather was the oldest of the children. He was age 11 and was born in Michigan. He was in 5th grade. His younger siblings were Eva M. (age 10), William H. (age 8), Franklin M. (age 6), Evelyn M. (age 4), and Nancy L. (age 2). The ages and birthplaces of everyone in the household match perfectly with other sources (a miracle!). My great-grandmother was the one who gave the info to the census taker.