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1930 US Federal Census Data Old Orchard Beach
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 householdaddressoccupationindustryresidence in 1935 highest grade
Anna Seidenfield1905RussiaMarriedWife5 Carle Ave   Attended school
Jacob B Seidenfield1899RussiaMarriedHead5 Carle AveRet MerchantMattress None
Sylvia B Seidenfield1929MassachusettsSingleAdopted Daughter5 Carle Ave   None
Charles W Usen1880RussiaMarriedHead10 Old Orchard StReal Estate AmusementProprietor None
Sarah F Usen1884RussiaMarriedWife10 Old Orchard St   None
Maurice Silverman1882RussiaMarriedHead2 Kinney AvRet MerchantMetals None
Robert Mellor1879RussiaMarriedHead10 Old Orchard StRet MerchantConfectionary? None
Fannie Mellor1883RussiaMarriedWife10 Old Orchard St   None
George Mellor1904MassachusettsSingleSon10 Old Orchard StAccountant CPAAccountant Office None
Bertha Mellor1912MassachusettsSingleDaughter10 Old Orchard St   Attended school
Gertrude Harrisburg1880RussiaDivorcedMother1 Flint St   None
Samuel Harrisburg1901MaineMarriedHead1 Flint StOwnerTaxicab business None
Frances Harrisburg1906MassachusettsMarriedWife1 Flint St   None
Louis Goldberg1865RussiaMarriedHead30 Staples St Retired None
Esther Goldberg1870RussiaMarriedWife30 Staples St   None
Herman S Gerrish1887RussiaMarriedHead3 Beach StHotel Real EstateProprietor None
Lena L Gerrish1890New YorkMarriedWife3 Beach St   None
Phillip H Gerrish1924MaineSingleSon3 Beach St   None
Joseph H Goodkowsky1868PolandMarriedHead4 Cleaves StProprietorHotel None
Rebecca Goodkowsky1868PolandMarriedWife4 Cleaves St   None
George Goodkowsky1892MaineSingleSon4 Cleaves StClerkHotel None
Minnie Goodkowsky1896MaineSingleDaughter4 Cleaves St   None
Saul S Goodkowsky1898MaineSingleSon4 Cleaves StClerkHotel None
Julia Goodkowsky1900MaineSingleDaughter4 Cleaves St   None
Harold Goodkowsky1908MaineSingleSon4 Cleaves St   Attended school

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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