1930 Federal Census - Thomaston CT

The Federal census gives us some interesting information about our relatives – insights we may not have known or tidbits of information that might help us in our genealogical search.   I hope to post census information from time to time on various family members.   This time I’ll start with a census that includes my Dad! 

So the genealogy/family tie-in:

·         Joseph and Peter Skerstonas were brothers.  

·         Joseph Skerstonas was my great-grandfather. 

·         His son was Charles Skerstonas (b. 1888 Lithuania, d. August 1956 Thomaston, CT).  

·         And his son (my Dad) was George Skerstonas (b. April 1930 Thomaston, CT d. Feb 1930 Thomaston, CT).   

The 1930 Census – the Fifteenth Census of the United States

State: Connecticut                                      County: Litchfield

Township: Thomaston town                         Enumerated on: April 21, 1930

Street: Walnut Hill – Farming District           Number of Dwelling: 443


Name of each person whose place of abode on April 1, 1930 was in this family (omit children born since April 1^st):

Skerstonas, Charles
     Relation: Head
     Home Owned or Rented: Owned 
     Does Family Own a Farm?: Yes
     Sex: Male
     Color or Race: White
     Age at last birthday: 39
     Marital Condition: Married
     Age at first marriage: 25
     School or college at any time since 9/1/1929: No
     Able to read or write: Yes
     Place of birth: Lithuania
     Father’s place of birth: Lithuania
     Mother’s Place of birth: Lithuania
     Language spoke in home before coming to the US: Lithuanian
     Year of Immigration to the US: 1906
     Able to Speak English: Yes
     Occupation: Farmer
     Industry: Dairy Farmer
     Actually at work yesterday: Yes
     Veteran of US Military or Naval Forces: No

Skerstonas, Rosa
     Relation: Wife
     Sex: Female
     Color or Race: White
     Age at last birthday: 35
     Marital Condition: Married
     Age at first marriage: 21
     School or college at any time since 9/1/1929: No
     Able to read or write: No
     Place of birth: Lithuania
     Father’s place of birth: Lithuania
     Mother’s Place of birth: Lithuania
     Language spoke in home before coming to the US: Lithuanian
     Year of Immigration to the US: 1914
     Able to Speak English: No

Skerstonas, Della
     Relation: Daughter
     Sex: Female
     Color or Race: White
     Age at last birthday: 12
     Marital Condition: Single
     School or college at any time since 9/1/1929: Yes
     Able to read or write: Yes
     Place of birth: Connecticut
     Father’s place of birth: Lithuania
     Mother’s Place of birth: Lithuania
     Able to Speak English: Yes

Skerstonas, Albert
     Relation: Son
     Sex: Male
     Color or Race: White
     Age at last birthday: 9
     Marital Condition: Single
     School or college at any time since 9/1/1929: Yes
     Place of birth: Connecticut
     Father’s place of birth: Lithuania
     Mother’s Place of birth: Lithuania
     Able to Speak English: Yes


Skerstonas, Isabel
     Relation: Daughter
     Sex: Female
     Color or Race: White
     Age at last birthday: 9
     Marital Condition: Single
     School or college at any time since 9/1/1929: Yes
     Place of birth: Connecticut
     Father’s place of birth: Lithuania
     Mother’s Place of birth: Lithuania
     Able to Speak English: No

 Skerstonas, Mildred
     Relation: Daughter
     Sex: Female
     Color or Race: White
     Age at last birthday: 6
     Marital Condition: Single
     School or college at any time since 9/1/1929: Yes
     Place of birth: Connecticut
     Father’s place of birth: Lithuania
     Mother’s Place of birth: Lithuania
     Able to Speak English: No

 Skerstonas, George
     Relation: Son
     Sex: Male
     Color or Race: White
     Age at last birthday: (1/12th is crossed out) 0
     Marital Condition: Single
     School or college at any time since 9/1/1929: No
     Place of birth: Connecticut     Father’s place of birth: Lithuania
     Mother’s Place of birth: Lithuania

So, some interesting facts we can get from this census are

• The years of immigration for Charles and Rose.  This should help in later research in trying to find details on their immigration.
• If we didn’t know that Albert and Isabel were twins – we would know this now.  Interestingly in all of the other family information from Martha I have not yet found another set of twins.  Also, it seems odd that Albert would speak English by 9, but not Isabel since it indicates they are both going to school.  Was this really this case or an error in the part of the census taker?
• I personally love that this census was done on April 21^st 1930 – my Dad would have only been 3 days old.  Per the instructions he really wasn’t supposed to be included – but there is little George – Age 0 – listed on the census for perpetuity!
• The age when Charles & Rosa were first married is also great genealogy data – assuming their first marriage was to each other J  We’ll save that piece of information for further research too… 

Not sure if you can see the details for yourself (still learning how this blog works)