1940 Dundy County, Nebraska

In between indexing pages of the 1940 census of Nebraska, I took a look in Dundy County, Nebraska to see what Robert Newton "Tom" Turpin (Child #18) was doing in 1940. 

Haigler is a small town so I thought this should be a quick look up.

I came across a surprise.  I found a Robert Newton Turpin on the 3rd and 6th pages!  

Not only are 47-year-old Tom and Mamie Turpin living in Haigler, but first I found a 42-year-old Robert Newton Turpin.  He is the son of Francis Charles Turpin (Child #10).  

Newton (Tom) Turpin in Dundy County, Nebraska in 1940

Robert Turpin in Dundy County, Nebraska in 1940

Tom is working as a janitor in the public schools to support his wife and the two children at home.  He’d been a butcher and a farmer. We know that he and Mamie would be leaving for Colorado in the 1940s.   Times were hard. 

Tom’s nephew is working as a plumber.  The census lists him as married but there is a 7 in the census marriage status column meaning that his wife is not living in the house.  Robert was first married to Lela Margaret Pearson until after 1930.  He later married to Mary Frances Holt.    In 1940, he is sharing a rental with William Palmer a 74-year-old man from Connecticut, so this might be between marriages.   

Robert and Lela Turpin

Good finds -- I love the censuses! 

More on Doris

Turpin cousin Dennis Bell has been researching descendants of Robert Newton Turpin.  There are SO many!   It’s a huge endeavor.  After I published the 1940 Census findings for Turpins in Kirkwood Precinct, Dennis followed up on young Doris Turpin who was single and working as a housekeeper there at the time.  

It’s such a great time to be a genealogist!  There are so many online resources and one of those is Find-a-Grave.  Find-a-Grave literally can trim miles off your research.  In this case, Dennis found the burial of Doris Turpin’s husband Dave McClintock in Bassett (Nebraska) Memorial Park Cemetery.  You don't always find this, but this time Dennis found David's obituary was attached.  Thanks to Dennis for the research and thanks to the volunteer who added the information to the Find-a-Grave entry.   

Dave McClintock of Ainsworth

Kirkwood Precinct, Rock County, Nebraska in 1940

So after Robert Newton Turpin was dead and Mary Ellen had remarried and moved to Dundy County, Nebraska, it might be tempting to think that we, as genealogists, are done with Kirkwood Precinct.  But a visit back there via the 1940 census makes it clear that Turpins are still there.

I found three instances.   Jim and John, two of the older sons of Robert Newton Turpin and wife Mary Ellen, still live there with their families.  And we find Doris Turpin who is one of John Turpin’s daughters.   She is working as a housekeeper for the widow Kati Hasch. 

James and Lida Turpin in 1940

John and Cora Turpin in 1940

Doris E. Turpin the daughter of John and Cora

Nebraska's Grand Master of Wild Turkey Hunting

Dick Turpin of Lincoln

From the Nebraska Game and Parks Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NEGameandParks


Greg Wagner brings his turkey hunting mentor and Nebraska's grand master of wild turkey hunting to his one-of-a-kind Great Outdoor Radio Show this week. Don't miss longtime turkey hunter, veteran turkey call maker and hHumorist Dick Turpin of Lincoln, NE Saturday morning with Greg from 9-10 a.m. CST on Omaha's KOZN RADIO 1620 AM "The Zone" and online at www.1620thezone.com

Dick Turpin is a great grandson of Robert Newton Turpin and Mary Ellen Leonard. And, he's on the 1940 Census living in Ogallala, Nebraska.

The Nineteenth Child: Nelle

Nelle and Wilson Clark

Nellie "Nelle" TURPIN was born 20 July 1893 on her parent's homestead in Rock County, Nebraska shortly after her father’s death.  She was the last child in Newt and Mary Ellen’s family.

She was nine years old before her mother remarried.  James Estlack became her step-father and the family, with only Nelle and Newtie at home, then moved to Haigler in Dundy County in western Nebraska. 

Nelle married Wilson Clark on 19 April 1919.  Wilson was born 24 Oct 1897 on his parents’ homestead outside Stratton, Nebraska in Hitchcock County.  His parents were Percy Bennet Clark (1865-1938) and Alta Estella Price (1874-1963).

I found the Turpins and Stewarts in Ogallala in 1940

E.D. 51-10

I found my parents Walt and Letha living in Ogallala in 1940.  They'd told stories about relatives coming to Ogallala to look for work and the relatives would stay with them.  There was only one bed, so they'd all just like up line sardines on the bed to get a good night's rest.   

The 1940 Census

Walt Stewart Family about 1940

The 1940 Census will be released in 2 days and 12 hours.  It will be exciting to “catch up” with my parents.  

In the previous census they were both 15 years old.  My mom lived in Kirkwood Precinct in Rock County, Nebraska with her parents and only brother.  My dad lived in Valentine, Cherry County, Nebraska with his parents and their family.  Mom and Dad did not know each other yet.   What a difference those ten years made in everyone’s lives including my parents!

My Mom in the 1930 Census