Lester Daniel CAPPS 1878-1947 & 4 wives

   Why start a Do Over or Work Over? Mistakes!!! Read EVERY document. How much was missed or misinterpreted because I did not completely glean every paper. My example: Lester Daniel CAPPS born 1878 in Iowa and died 1947 in South Dakota.
   If only census records were searched, Lester would have had one or maybe two wives and two children. Without looking closer, possibly his children would be linked to the wrong wife. Let us start working back as we do in genealogy. US census for 1940 has Lester and Kathryn only. US census for 1930 has son, Chauncy and his wife Joan. Lester's wife is Mabel. In the 1920 US census, Lester, Mabel and two children Edna and Chauncy. In the 1910 US census, Lester, Stella and two children Edna and Chauncy. Remember, the census enumerator asks about the relationship to the head of the household, not to each other.
   Let us look further, again starting from the most recent and working backward. On 29 October 1836, Lester married Kathryn Krudwig Nichols. This was his fourth marriage and her second marriage. WOW! Three more marriage records to find! Thanks to Ancestry this task has been completed. On 26 November 1930, Lester married Emma Wood, number three. On 9 October 1915, Lester married Mabel Hall, number two. Mabel is listed as divorced; Lester is listed as widower. About 1901, Lester married Stella Mae Mitchell, number one. according to the 1910 US census, Stella and Lester had two children, Edna and Chauncy. Stella Mae Mitchell is the mother of Edna and Chauncy. If I had stopped with the 1920 and 1930 census, I would have guessed wrong, assuming Mabel as their mother. This accounts for the four wives. So far, I have not found any other children for Lester.
   What is my connection to Lester? Lester Daniel CAPPS is brother-in-law of my first cousin twice removed. This is on my paternal ELSNER line. For my tree, see Roots Digger family tree on Ancestry.
   How come I am chasing this far out? Lester's wife may be a DNA match. Also, I have found newspaper articles on other family members that have given me clues.

"The Genealogist's Census Pocket Reference" by Allison Dolan

The Genealogist's Census Pocket Reference: Tips, Tricks & Fast Facts to Track Your Ancestors authored by Allison Dolan and the editors of Family Tree Magazine provides a small book to carry in your pocket, tote bag or Kindle. Yet, this small book provides resources for websites, enumerator questions, keys to abbreviations, explanations of special schedules, census resources and maps. The pocket reference covers the United States census years of 1790-1940 and 19 international countries.

Do you know, "The census was to record the population exactly as it was on the official census date. However, enumerators may have visited an address days or weeks after the official census date."
Why is this important? Birth or death dates were to be as of the official date. Births or deaths after the official date were not to be reported. Confusion about the dates or questions sometimes lead to errors.
Do you know that the departments of War and Navy enumerated military personnel separately, in what years and where are the records? For the answers, read pages 13 and148.
Do you know if your state has missing records, a state census or special schedules? For the answers, read pages 15-17, 122-134 and 136-140.

What makes this book unique?

• pocket size
• ease to carry, yet packed with material
• specialized for census only

Dolan, Allison & editors of Family Tree Magazine. The Genealogist's Census Pocket Reference: Tips, Tricks & Fast Facts to Track Your Ancestors. Cincinnati: Family Tree Books. 2012. quote regarding census date from page 12.

This pocket reference covers all census areas from dates and maps to enumerator questions and instructions. The title describes to the reader what will be found inside; and, inside the reader will find every detail in the title; nothing has been left out. The material is ageless. Our census use and access is limited only to our imagination. This guide opens up our imagination by presenting the census completely and concisely.

Check area libraries, this book is available at the Gwinnett County Public Library, Georgia. Ask yourself, does this book help me advance towards my genealogy goals? Comments or questions, please contact Selma Blackmon, Thank you!