WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT MOM AND DAD
FROM THE 1940 CENSUS
Mom: Grace Worthing, Age 23 and single.
Mom was orphaned at age 16.
She was sent to Ohio to live with various relatives for two years. When she
turned 18, her half sister Blanche sent for her. Mom moved to Aurora, Illinois.
This was five years before the 1940 census.
Blanche Hansen was working as a telephone operator in
Naperville, but is not enumerated in the census. Blanche had moved to Illinois
when she turned 18 in 1926, to live with her natural father, Ludwig Hansen who
promised her a college education. In the 1940 census I found Mom living with
her stepfather, Ludwig Hansen at 811 Grove Street.
Mom had a 7th grade education and was working as
a maid in a private residence. From Mom’s information the residence was the
W.G. Eilert, M.D.residence of doctor and Mrs. Eilert and their children. Mom
always told us she was their cook. Mom earned $ 250.00 in 1939 and Ludwig
earned $ 910.00. I have to check to see what this amount of money would be in
2012 dollars. It does not sound like
much to me but the Great Depression was ending and work was picking up.
Dad: Robert Francis Fermazin, Age 23 and single.
Dad was living at home with
his parents, Robert and Mary and his sister, Lola. Dad had completed two years of high school.
Later in life Dad earned his GED and went on to be an Audio Visual Technician
at the Fullerton Unified High School District. Occupation: Mechanic worker and
earnings from 1939 were
$ 520.00.
Sister: Lola, age 25.
Completed 4 years of high school. Occupation: Boring at the Corset Factory.
Lola earned $ 540.00 in 1939.
Grandpa Robert, age 52 had an 8th grade education
and was working at Pneumatic Tool Company and earned $ 1800.00 in 1939.
Grandma age 51 is residing in the household. States she had
an 8th grade education. No occupation is listed but we know she was
a housewife, seamstress, and mother.
