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1930 US Federal Census Data Orono
Where one member of the family was an East European immigrant
Data extracted by DMJ consultants (2020)



Namedate of birthplace of birthmarriage statusrelation to head of householdaddressoccupationindustry
Bernard R Hillson1891LithuaniaMarriedHead15 Mill StreetMerchant TailorShop
Sophia Hillson1898LithuaniaMarriedWife15 Mill Street  
Harry D / Harvey Hillson1924MaineSingleSon15 Mill Street  
Mary Ann Hillson1927MaineSingleDaughter15 Mill Street  
Barney Silver1880RussiaMarriedHead3 Main StreetFarmerHome Farm
Sarah Silver1888RussiaMarriedWife3 Main Street  
George Silver1908MaineSingleSon3 Main StreetCattle DealerAt Home
Abraham Silver1909MaineSingleSon3 Main Street  
Louis Silver1912MaineSingleSon3 Main Street  
Alexander Silver1916MaineSingleSon3 Main Street  
Dorothy Silver1919MaineSingleDaughter3 Main Street  
Lena L / Lillian Silver1923MaineSingleDaughter3 Main Street  
Barney Pepper1882RussiaMarriedHead1 Middle StreetCattle Dealer 
Jennie Pepper1883RussiaMarriedWife1 Middle Street  
Max Pepper1909MaineSingleSon1 Middle Street  
Sarah Pepper1912MaineSingleDaughter1 Middle Street  
Marian Pepper1914MaineSingleDaughter1 Middle Street  
Annie Pepper1917MaineSingleDaughter1 Middle Street  
Celia Pepper1918MaineSingleDaughter1 Middle Street  
Abie Pepper1921MaineSingleSon1 Middle Street  
Robert Pepper1927MaineSingleSon1 Middle Street  
Joseph Wallace1883PolandMarriedHead Cattle DealerPrivate Farm
Annie Wallace1885PolandMarriedWife   
William Wallace1909MassachusettsSingleSon MerchantConfection Store
Ethel Wallace1913MaineSingleDaughter   
Ruth Wallace1916MaineSingleDaughter   
Sidney Wallace1921MaineSingleSon   
Barney Gass1879PolandMarriedHead4 Main StreetFarmerAt Home
Ida Gass1883PolandMarriedWife4 Main Street  
Sarah Gass1913MaineSingleDaughter4 Main Street  
Rachael Gass1913MaineSingleDaughter4 Main Street  
Nellie Gass1915MaineSingleDaughter4 Main Street  
Samuel Gass1916MaineSingleSon4 Main Street  
Max Gass1918MaineSingleSon4 Main Street  
Esther Gass1920MaineSingleDaughter4 Main Street  
John Gass1921MaineSingleSon4 Main Street 

Methodological notes :

This data was culled from the original U.S. census manuscripts, as found on www.ancestry.com.
Jews are understood to constitute an ethnic group of Eastern and Central European origin characterized by common names and occupational pursuits, as well as a distinctive language.
This definition lends itself well to analysis of the data preserved in census records.
Two primary methods were used to identify Jews:
1. Individuals born abroad whose mother tongue is "Yiddish," "Jewish," or "Hebrew" were automatically included in the spreadsheet, as were all members of their families.
2. For individuals born abroad whose mother tongue was another Eastern or Central European language (e.g., Russian, Polish, German), or individuals born in the U.S. with one or more parents from Eastern or Central Europe, we examined surnames, given names within a household, and occupations in light of common Jewish characteristics. This method of analysis is, of course, subject to inaccuracy, as we may have excluded Jews with uncommon names or occupations or included non-Jews whose characteristics appear Jewish. Individuals listed with the annotation "nj?" in the far right-hand column are those whose Jewish ancestry is plausible but questionable.
This method of analysis easily misses Jewish households whose members' parents were all born in the United States. In 1930 Maine, however, such households were quite rare. Special efforts were made to identify households of this nature in Portland, where they constituted less than 1% of identified Jewish households.
All members of a household containing a Jew are included in the spreadsheet, with the exception of Jewish lodgers and servants, who are listed individually. Household members who are evidently not Jewish (such as non-Jewish servants and some spouses or in-laws) are listed with the annotation "nj."
Information on place of birth
Some people replied with the name of the place when they left; others replied with the name of place when the census was taken; in other cases it just seems that it was easier for the census taker to write ‘Russia’ rather than Lithuania, Ukraine or other unfamiliar country names.
And there is another reason to be skeptical of the accuracy of the place of birth information. Immigrants from the Pale had a very justified fear of the Russian and often local governments. One way to manage this reality was to tell government representatives what they expected they wanted to hear or what they thought would bring them the least trouble. This may well explain why a number of family members, who were clearly from Eastern Europe, may have answered ‘Maine’ or ‘New York’.

Last Updated : Jan 2 , 2021

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