Census, Ellis Island, and Birding Talks

and Resources

Enumerator Instruction Manuals

Joel Weintraub, PhD

revised Apr 2022

Co-winner of the 2022 Shirley M Barnes

Records Access Award

https://www.massgencouncil.org/shirley-barnes-records-access-award

Joel Weintraub ("JDW Talks") on YouTube Include:

Introduction to the Census: A Genealogy Perspective

U.S. Census: Questions, Confidentiality, and the 72-Year Rule

The 1940 Census Schedule

The 1950 U.S. Census for Genealogists

1950 Census Location Search Tools

Demonstrating 1950 Census Urban and Rural Location Searches

Using Enumeration District Maps with emphasis on the 1940 and 1950 Censuses

Twenty Questions About The 1950 Census & The One-Step Locational Search Tools

Resources For U.S. Street Name & Number Changes With An Emphasis On The 1950 U.S. Census

The Origins of the Morse One-Step Census Tools

Missing From 1950 Census Scheduled - Americans Living Abroad

1950 Census Block Housing Information: Large Urban Areas

Yo Philly: 1950 Census Four Part Workshop

Training 1950 Census Takers: More Resources Including A Real Training Session

Income What It Is And How To Report It Training Film #4

How's Your Interviewing Technique? Training Film #7

Taking the 1960 U.S. Census: Enumerator Forms and Materials

The 1970 U.S. Census: Resource Material

Searching the Censuses of New York City

The Ellis Island Simulation For Adults

"Manifest Destiny": Names at Ellis Island

A Short History of Ellis Island

What Really Happened At Ellis Island? The Name Change Myth

Finding Difficult Passengers on the Ellis Island Manifests

Genealogy Standards and the Biographies of A. L. Heermann

The Life of the Naturalist Adolphus L. Heermann

Birds Commonly Seen at the Headlands (Dana Pt Ca): A Virtual Fieldtrip

Common Coastal Birds of Dana Point, California

Birds of Upper Newport Bay: A Virtual Training Fieldtrip: Fall and Winter Pts I, II, III

Identifying Owl Pellet Rodent Species By A Circular Template

What's in a Turkey Vulture Pellet? A Study of 3,966 California Pellets

Orange County CA Birds & Behavior (multiple videos)

Teaching A Beginning Birding Group How To Use A Spotting Scope

Teaching A Beginning Birding Group How To Adjust Binoculars

Nikon P1000 for Group Field Trips: A Spotting Scope Alternative?

Understanding Using & Fixing Binoculars Pts I and II

Bird Migration Against the Moon Using a Nikon P1000 Camera

History & Resources for Novelty Zithers: Ukelin,Violin-uke, Marxophone, Haw. Art Violin and more

Dr JDW in Concert: Biology Songs on Zithers

Enumerator Manuals U.S.

1930 Supervisor Manual

https://tinyurl.com/y3kpuv6t

1940

Hotel List T Night

https://tinyurl.com/4uda78b3

Abridged Instructions to Enumerators

https://tinyurl.com/43dpa3jj

Supplemental Instructions Enumerators Population Schedule

https://tinyurl.com/49j5ycdb

1950

Urban & Rural Enumerator's Workbook Population Housing & Agriculture

https://tinyurl.com/y4yle55u

U.S. Enumerator Manual Paragraphs 1 to 60

https://tinyurl.com/y2xax5kb

1960

U.S. Enumerator’s Reference Manual Stage 1:

https://tinyurl.com/y63u5uqc

U.S. Enumerator’s Reference Manual Stage 2:

https://tinyurl.com/y4j8jf3c

U.S. Enumerator’s Training Workbook Stage I PH-1:

https://tinyurl.com/y2cshy4g

U.S. Enumerator’s Training Workbook Stage I PH-2:

https://tinyurl.com/y6ssp8kt

U.S. Practice Exercise For Field Review Stage I:

https://tinyurl.com/y5mbc5be

U.S. Answer Sheet For Field Review Practice:

https://tinyurl.com/yycr3yoc

1970

Address Register Book Non-mail D-130

https://tinyurl.com/y257yfd5

Short Form D-11

https://tinyurl.com/y6fnc9d2

Long Form D-2

https://tinyurl.com/y327zacs

Long Form D-3

https://tinyurl.com/yylfld9w

Check-in Instructions D-521

https://tinyurl.com/y3ay3om9

Short Form Edit Instructions D-522

https://tinyurl.com/y46wkv65

Long Form Edit Instructions D-523

https://tinyurl.com/yytqm3f8

Questionnaire Reference Book D-520

https://tinyurl.com/y3s9lckj

List of Forms In My Kit

https://tinyurl.com/y4b73qf6

Crew Leader's Checklist for Preparatory Work D-195

https://tinyurl.com/yy48ze3x

Special Places Enumerators Handbook D-528

https://tinyurl.com/y5po79ke

Field Employee Selection Aid (Test) D-201B

https://tinyurl.com/y2rto2q2

Enumerator's Handbook Decentralized Mail D-507

https://tinyurl.com/y6ngx87k

Enumerator's Handbook Centralized Mail D-533

https://tinyurl.com/y4epxao3

Joel Weintraub, a New Yorker by birth, is an emeritus Biology Professor at California State University, Fullerton and has won awards for his science teaching. He became interested in genealogy over 20 years ago, and volunteered for 9 years at the National Archives and Records Administration in southern California. Joel produced locational tools for the 1900 through 1950 federal censuses, and the New York State censuses for NYC (1905, 1915, 1925) for the Steve Morse "One-Step" website (stevemorse.org). He has published articles on the U.S. census and the 72 year rule, the name change belief at Ellis Island, finding difficult passenger records at Ellis Island, searching census records (and the geography) of NYC, and a biographical revision of biologist AL Heermann, and has given presentations on census and biographical research, immigration and naturalization, Ellis Island research, and Jewish genealogy. His hobbies include birding, collecting memorabilia for his talks, and making interesting PowerPoint and YouTube presentations.

Joel has spoken to a number of organizations on biography and genealogy topics. That includes: American Library Association Anaheim CA, Association of Professional Genealogists - Orange County CA branch, British Isles FHS-USA Los Angeles CA, California Genealogical Society, Chula Vista Genealogical Society CA, Clark County Nevada Genealogical Society, Computer Genealogy Society of San Diego CA, DearMyrtle Webinar on the 1940 Census, Escondido Family History Fair CA, Family History Center of Orange CA, International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies, Jewish Genealogical Society of British Columbia, Jewish Genealogical Society of Long Island, Jewish Genealogical Society of Los Angeles CA, Jewish Genealogical Society of Oregon, Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State, JewishGen Webinar Series, Genealogical Society of North Orange County California, Hemet-San Jacinto Genealogical Society CA, Jewish Genealogical Society Conejo Valley and Ventura CA, Jewish Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Boston, Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois, Jewish Genealogical Society of Sacramento CA, Jewish Genealogical Society of San Diego CA, Jewish Genealogical Society of Southern Nevada, La Puerta de Oro SF (DAR), National Archives and Records Administration - Laguna Niguel CA, Los Angeles Westside Genealogical Society, Marin County Genealogical Society CA, Niguel Shores (Dana Pt) Women's Club and Men's Club CA, North San Diego County Genealogical Society CA, OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) at California State University Fullerton CA, OLLI at University of California Irvine, Orange County California Genealogical Society, Orange County Jewish Genealogical Society CA, Orange County Library Genealogy Series, Orange County Natural History Lecture Series CA, POINTers in Person Encinitas CA, Questing Heirs Genealogical Society Long Beach CA, Root Cellar - Sacramento Genealogical Society CA, San Bernardino Audubon Society (Redlands CA), San Diego Jewish Genealogical Society CA, San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society CA, San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society CA, Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society CA, San Diego Genealogical Society CA, Sea and Sage Audubon Society CA, South Bay Cities Genealogical Society, South Orange County California Genealogical Society CA, Southern California Genealogical Society (Burbank Jamboree), Ventura County Genealogical Society CA, Whittier Area Genealogical Society CA.

Ellis Island talks: It started as a simple 1 hour presentation on finding difficult-to-find people on the manifest, using less than 5 strategies. Not only do I have now 9-10 different strategies, but I have added information on the Ellis Island Name Change Myth. I have an online essay on the Name Change Myth at: https://www.jewishgen.org/InfoFiles/ellismythnames.html and another InfoFile for finding passenger names on degraded Ellis Island manifests at: https://www.jewishgen.org/infofiles/degradedmanifests.html.

Thus I offer societies a number of possible talks. A 75 minute presentation on Manifest Destiny: Names at Ellis Island emphasizing the history of Ellis Island and U.S. Immigration during it's heyday, finding difficult people with some strategies, and a short discussion on the name change myth.

I have given one hour presentations involving “Finding Difficult Passengers on the Ellis Island Manifests" (new title for updated presentation). Another one hour spin off from the original talk is titled “What Really Happened at Elis Island: the Name Change Myth”. Given that most genealogists do not accept the name change belief, it is likely that I won't be giving that presentation that often.

I try before the Ellis Island talks to involve people in a simulation of what immigrants went through going through Ellis Island. The Seattle group I talked to bought into it and had 15 members assume roles to “process” their own members with the various original immigration documents I have, IQ jigsaw puzzle test, stamping of documents, etc. that I supplied. The Boston group I talked to in June 2018 had some of their members go through a script, with me being the narrator, showing various documents and procedures before their membership. The Ventura Genealogical Society in 2019 provided about a dozen members and we read through the script with a concurrent slide show showing documents referred to. A set of tables with memorabilia were shown before their simulation. At the very least, I come dressed as an Ellis Island Inspector, and stamp members medical clearance card (which is on their handout for the talk) and ask a few questions leading to their being “chalked” (through Saranwrap). If I have more help, I can increase the types of interactions.

More Details:

"Finding Difficult Passengers on the Ellis Island Manifests"

Have you tried and failed to find your ancestors’ names on immigration manifests from Ellis Island? Using a case study, Weintraub will demonstrate nine + strategies to help you locate the records of your elusive immigrant ancestors. We will start with a 12 year old boy on his 1907 voyage from Hamburg, Germany to New York, and then find out why some search strategies cannot find his record (including the Ellis Island search database!), and surprisingly why some other strategies can find his record!!! There will be a number of take home messages here for researchers, even those who have done many such searches, so be prepared to be entertained, confused, and educated about the assumptions behind the databases we use for immigration searches including some lesser known ones.

“What Really Happened At Ellis Island: The Name Change Myth”

The idea that inspectors at Ellis Island regularly Americanized immigrant names is a persistent myth. We will investigate the evidence that should exist (it doesn’t) to confirm the story as fact, and why name changing at the station was improbable given how immigrants were processed. The history of this immigration station, the types of people who passed through their doors, the legal documents (including their name) they came

with, and station detention documents generated for about 1/6 of them, will be discussed with actual examples. Note: be prepared to avoid deportation by Inspector Weintraub.

""Manifest Destiny": Names at Ellis Island"

Come feel a fraction of what our ancestors may have experienced when they arrived at Ellis Island. You will gain a greater appreciation of the Manifest as a genealogy research tool and will be prepared to successfully negotiate the "Island of Tears.” This main

immigration station into the U.S. was most active from 1892 through 1924. About 70 percent of immigrants to the U.S. during this time came through Ellis Island. The history of this immigration station, including the Wall of Honor will be discussed. The pressures of the "Great Migration" eventually led to immigration quotas. The persistent myth of name changes at Ellis Island will briefly be discussed. Twenty percent of immigrants ended up listed on detention sheets and we will find out where those can be found. Finally, using a case study, Joel will detail a number of name search utilities you can explore later.

Another recent talk that Joel developed concerns the biographies of an important mid-19th century collector of natural history in California and the Southwest. Forty years after the death of Adolphus Heermann, the first biography appeared based mainly for personal information on two people who knew him. Very little is presented on his early years. The next biography relied on information provided on the family by a granddaughter of his father, and that turned out to be inaccurate, but most subsequent studies used the same information. By using modern approaches to family research, Joel has been able to document the true date of birth and death of this naturalist, and to fill in many important details of his fascinating life. The talk emphasizes, in a case study, the pitfalls and promises of genealogy research and what is the nature of documentation and genealogy "facts." When this talk was given to natural history groups, the collecting experiences of A. L. were emphasized. (This research was published in the Journal Cassinia. To see a scan of the article: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12108455/Cassinia%20Paper.pdf)

Here's some information about the two 1950 U.S. Census talks.

The 1940 U.S. Census opened in 2012 without a name index. A FamilySearch led consortium used 160,000 volunteers to name index that census in 5 months. In addition, Joel and Steve Morse, over seven years with about 125 volunteers, developed free utilities to find which of 150,000 census districts someone was in, when a location or address is known. Steve and Joel have now done a similar project for the 1950 Census. Joel will discuss differences between the 1940 and 1950 censuses that impacted their planning and project design. The film scanning, publicity, volunteer response, Yahoo Group site, cloud storage, software, One-Step utilities, and project phases will be discussed. With only 64 helpers, all 233,800+ 1950 enumeration district definitions have now been transcribed, as well as street indexes for over 2,400 communities to help find 1950 census district numbers. The transcriptions were finished during summer of 2018. Original 1950 census documents will be displayed to the audience. Depending on time allotted, Joel will also bring other state and federal census documents to pass around the audience, including original 1870 U.S. census population and mortality sheets. A companion talk on what's in the U.S. 1950 Census has also been produced.

Also see https://sites.google.com/site/census1940/ for material on previous talks.