Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Floyd Brassfield census analysis

Census Bureau seal
Floyd Gipson Brassfield was born 4 April 1898 in Sergeant Bluff, Woodbury County, Iowa. I believe his middle name is derived from his mother Nell's father, Gipson Bates. I am unable to locate Floyd in the 1900 and 1910 census, but it seems reasonable to believe he was in Woodbury County,  Iowa. More details after the jump...

Floyd's father, Elvis H. died in March 1904 at age 33. His mother Nellie appears to have moved to Jones Street in Sioux City, Woodbury County, Iowa. She is listed in the 1910 census at that location, with a single "s" in Brassfield. She was listed as age 35, with two sons Clarence, age 15 and Adrian, age 8. Floyd would have been age 12, but was not listed. There were 4 boarders listed living with them. Nellie's occupation was listed as keeper at a lodging house, possibly her residence and Clarence was an elevator opener at an office building. Perhaps Floyd was living with another relative.(Reference:1910 Census, Series: T624 Roll: 429 Page: 79. 21 April 1910)

Update:I found Floyd Brassfield, age 12 living with his aunt and uncle, John H. and  Sarah M. Brassfield in Eastern Township, Knox, Nebraska. (Reference:1910 Series: T624 Roll: 849 Page: 83. May 1910)

According to the 1920 census, on January 16, 1920, Floyd was a roomer on Pearl Street in Sioux City, Woodbury County, Iowa. He is listed as living in the household of C. W. and Ella Hoffman with 23 other roomers, one of which was his brother Clarence. The census lists them as Brasfield with only one "s". The ages listed are off by a couple years, but it makes sense that they would be living in that area at that time. (Reference:1920 Census, Series:T625 Roll: 520 Page: 100.) Their brother Adrian E. Brassfield died a year earlier on 4 January 1919. At that point, Floyd's mother Nellie had remarried and was living in Cherokee, Cherokee County, Iowa with her husband Ben Evers. He is listed as Benhart F. Evers. (Reference:1920 Census Series: T625 Roll: 482 Page: 25.)

According to my notes, Floyd was married in Storm Lake, Buena Vista County, Iowa on 19 August 1920 to Thelma Sarah Hunt. Their first son Elvis John Brassfield was born 7 November 1920 in Sioux City. Their son's middle name appears to be derived from Thelma's father John Hunt.

As of the 1930 census, Floyd and Thelma lived in Lake City, Calhoun County, Iowa with three children, Elvis, Betty and Irene.They would have two more children, who are still living, so I will not mention their names. The pair moved to Vancouver, Clark County, Washington after 1950. Floyd died in 1961 and Thelma dies in 1976. They are both buried at Evergreen Memorial Gardens, Vancouver, Clark County, Washington. Two daughters, Betty and Irene were interred with them in 2003 and 2010, respectively.

Floyd Brassfield - Find A Grave Memorial, Not much there, but I want to remember the link.