1940 Census - Than Cooper Family

The 1940 Census was taken in April 1940.  It has recently been released after a 72 year waiting period.  Census takers went door to door to gather the information.  The 1940 Census used 175,000 maps as guides for the workers taking the census, so that they could personally visit every house, building, tent, cabin, hut or other place where a person might be living or staying.  If a family was not at home at the time of the first visit, the census taker would return later.

In April 1940, the Than Cooper family was living in the same home as in 1935.  They owned their home and the value was listed as $700.  Their neighbors were the Ira Webb family, Frank Hatch family, and Carl Boyles family.

There were four children living at home:  Jim (age 19), Grant (age 16), Mae L.(age 14) and  Fae Ann (age 9).  Grandpa was 47 and Grandma was 46.  The individual who transcribed this page of the census apparently could not read the writing.  Grandpa's name was listed as "Heller Nathaniel." The word Heller looked to me as it the census taker had written something then scribbled it out.  Grant was listed as "Trant," and Mae was listed as "Mal."

Grandpa was listed as the head of the household.  His occupation was sheep herder.  He said that he had worked 56 weeks in 1939, earning $550.  His highest grade completed was grade 7.  Jim was also listed as working as a sheep herder.  He had worked 52 weeks the previous year.  Grant was listed as not working and was not looking for a job even though he was 16.   

My mom was 10 years old when she was diagnosed with her hip problem.  That would have made the year 1940, so she was probably having trouble with her hip at the time.

In 1940 Europe was in the middle of World War II, although the United States didn't enter the war until the next year with the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  The country was just leaving the depression behind.  Gasoline was 11 cents a gallon, and the average cost of a new car was $850.  The average cost of a new home was $3,920.  The average salary was $1,725.

Nylon stockings had been invented the year before and were all the rage with women.  The movie "Gone With The Wind," was in theaters and Disney made the movie "Pinocchio."   Bennie Goodman and Count Basie were popular bands.  Life Magazine cost 10 cents.  Franklin D. Roosevelt had just be re-elected as the first third-term president.