Trying to find my great grandfather on the 1930 Census

[TomGad]

So with that registration card, we also learn that the father, Robert, must have re-married a Wilma at some point after his wife Bertha died. Does this match what you know, TomGad? With James and/or his folks not using this middle name in the census for 1920 or for 1940, and with the 1920 census suggesting a 1916 birth, it is understandable why it is trickier to tie him down in 1930. Could he have been with grandparents on either side?

He isnt with his grandparents im afraid. The only grandparent he could have lived with at that time is Bertha’s mother Anna Lee. Anna can be found in the 1930 census and she is living by herself and her grandaughter (Jim’s sister) Lula May Davis (listed as Lee on the census though)

[shellyesq]

Based on James' Social Security number, he was likely living in Illinois by Feb. 1937.  https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=3060&mtch=1&cat=TS15&tf=F&q=327012484&bc=,sl,sd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=4359253

The family tree mentioned above said James' mother Bertha died in April 1920.  Not positive it's her, but the OK death index has a Bertha Alice Davis who died in Creek Co. on 17 May 1920.  https://ok2explore.health.ok.gov/App/DeathSearch

According to the obituary for James' father Robert, Robert married wife Wilma on 15 May 1930 in Davenport (I'm presuming that meant Iowa, which is close to Moline, Illinois).  https://www.newspapers.com/article/quad-city-times-obituary-for-robert-davi/185509672/

The Bertha Alice record could well be correct. I have just realised I have no records that confirm her middle name to be Ann only Bertha A Lee or Bertha A Davis.

Is there a way to order the death certificate?

If you run the search for Bertha's name on that website, when the results come up, it will give the options for ordering a death certificate online or by mail.

[TomGad]

Indeed, rosie99. The more info already known to you, TomGad, that you can share, the more helpful it can be and can save us wasting time going down wrong tracks.

Can I check how certain you are and what source record/s you have, for your James' birth year of 1918 and middle name of Pershing?

https://ok2explore.health.ok.gov/App/BirthResults only returns 9 James Davis births that year, with the only Creek County one having been born 9th October and having middle initial W.

Your James, in the 1920 at least, was said to be 3 yrs and 6 months old, so if correct, would have been born around July 1916.

The same site above, returns 4 births in 1917, albeit with none in Creek County nor with middle name starting P. And in 1917, 10 returns, but none in Creek County, nor with middle name starting P.

One thing that might help you here, Jim’s brother is still alive and has an Ancestry tree. He has his brother as James Pershing Davis with all the info and as he is his own brother and he has put this info I would say that confirms that was 100% his name. His brother would know his full name thats for sure and as he has it the same as I do then I am certain Jim’s name was James Pershing Davis.

[scotmum]

Do you have any of his siblings in the 1930 at all and/or have you tried using forenames of family group only, in case Davis surname has been badly mistranscribed by Ancestry?

[TomGad]

Do you have any of his siblings in the 1930 at all and/or have you tried using forenames of family group only, in case Davis surname has been badly mistranscribed by Ancestry?

I havent actually checked. I’ll have a look in a moment

[TomGad]

Do you have any of his siblings in the 1930 at all and/or have you tried using forenames of family group only, in case Davis surname has been badly mistranscribed by Ancestry?

I have found a newspaper article in Shamrock from 1920 that states Bertha died on March 16th 1920

[shellyesq]

Maybe the death index mistranscribed the 3 for March as a 5? 

It looks like Wilma got divorced from her previous husband in 1931, so the date of Robert & Wilma's marriage in the obituary may be off.  https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-dispatch/185511326/

[TomGad]

Maybe the death index mistranscribed the 3 for March as a 5? 

It looks like Wilma got divorced from her previous husband in 1931, so the date of Robert & Wilma's marriage in the obituary may be off.  https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-dispatch/185511326/

The transcription error could be right i suppose its only one digit. Wilma and Robert got married on May 16th 1931 in Davenport, Iowa where Robert is listed as just “Lee Davis”

[TomGad]

Maybe the death index mistranscribed the 3 for March as a 5? 

It looks like Wilma got divorced from her previous husband in 1931, so the date of Robert & Wilma's marriage in the obituary may be off.  https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-dispatch/185511326/

It says they both are in Moline, Illinois in 1931. So Robert might be there in 1930?