1950 census

I found my family records in the just released 1950 census! So neat to see this information available after 72 years at https://1950census.archives.gov

After my dad passed away the last day of 2009, I took over the family historian role and was able to find National Archives files from a collection compiled during the Chinese Exclusion Act for both sets of grandparents that were stored in Seattle and San Francisco as well as birth certificates for my paternal grandparents. Using notes my dad left and obtaining more information from my mom, aunts, and uncles enabled me to cobble together family histories for both sides of the family.

When the 1940 census was released ten years ago, I was unable to find my dad’s family because I wasn’t sure if they lived in Brooklyn or Manhattan, but by 1950 the family of six was living in Chelsea (neighborhood) and I had an address to search for, so when the census was released I was able to find them.

partial Enumeration District map of Manhattan - Lee family was one of ~1200 counted in ~300 dwellings in ED 436

My grandmother’s name was recorded as Mamie Chu. She was 32 years old and grandfather Harry Lee was age 36, owned a laundry and had worked 48 hours in the last week. Since the 1950 census did not ask everyone questions about their income as in 1940, I can only guess he made around $2000 annually by looking for others in the same profession.

The family lived above their laundry. My dad Arthur was the firstborn, and one of the selected few per page that had extra questions asked of them. He was ten years old and had not yet finished the 5th grade when the census was taken. His siblings Judy and Jim were nine and seven, and the baby of the family, Harry was only one!

Harry Lee and family circa 1957

In 1950 my mom’s family of six was one of several Chinese families living in Hughes, Arkansas. St. Francis County population was near 1700. The family lived behind their grocery store, but would soon move to the home being built on 3rd Street. My grandmother’s name was recorded as Seid May. She was 36 years old and grandfather Ping was age 39, working 60 hour weeks. He probably earned a few thousand a year.

Mom, Ping Shong, was twelve years old and her older sister, my aunt Carolyn was age fifteen. Her name was on a selected line as well and it was the spring of her 10th grade of high school. Younger siblings Hing and Ping Jr were ages nine and six.

St Francis County Enumeration District map - Fong family was one of ~1000 counted in 370 dwellings in ED 62-8

Ping Fong and family circa 1950

Sadly, my mom passed away last summer and in lieu of an obituary I wrote a biography of sorts for both Arthur and Ping on a new blog. I added another post on their courtship, then worked ahead with posts about my life with plans to add more. I may jump backward first and review what I've shared about my grandparents in earlier family history posts here on this blog: https://maggiealex.blogspot.com/search?q=genealogy