52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 38 Prompt - Census

2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 38

Prompt – Census

The seventh Canadian Census was taken on 1 Jun 1931. This was released to the public on 1 Jun 2023.

Census is taken every 10 years. Most censuses contain questions about location, family members, names, sex, age, marital status, relation to head, religion, education, occupation, country or province of birth of the individual and their parents. In the 1931 Census additional questions such as did they have a radio was added. Since this was taken during the depression questions about unemployment, periods of unemployment and cause of unemployment.

I have just started to look at this census for my genealogy family. I chose the results of the 1931 Canada Census for Elizabeth (sic) and Frank Peters. My paternal grandparents.

1931 Canada Census for Frank Peters and Household

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As censuses go this was recorded neatly and is quite legible. All of the information is transcribed by some group of people that do their best to put the right information in typed format. Often this information can be wrong or missing. Therefore I have learned to cross reference the transcribed information with the original image. 

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 Frank (not listed as Franz) Peters is a 65 year old married male who is head of his household. His nationality is Canadian. He was born in Manitoba, Canada. His racial origin is German. The place of birth for his parents and Elisabeth Peters' parents is listed as Russia. The parents had lived in Chortitza Mennonite Colonies in South Russia. Frank Peters birthday is estimated as 1866. Frank gives his age to the recorder as 65 and since this was taken in 1931, simple math makes birth year as 1866. Frank Peters was born in 1876. Frank then goes on to say his immigration year was 1871. First of all he never immigrated from Russia since he was born one year after his family immigrated to Manitoba, Canada in 1876. His parents and older siblings immigrated in 1875. The next question was when was he naturalized. He answered 1900. I would think since he was born in Canada there was no need to naturalize.

Frank Peters tells the census taker that he and his family's religion is Lutheran. I'm a bit confused about this since they came from a Mennonite town and background. The family story is that Frank Peters was upset when the Mennonite Colony split. Half the colony decided to move to Mexico. Those that did go took all of the money leaving the remaining families (Frank and Elisabeth Peters) broke and poor.

In the 1926 Prairie Provinces Census we know that his family lives in Rosthern. In the 1931 he is now located in Saskatoon. His address is 240 3^rd Street. Frank Peters' obituary stated that he lived in the city of Saskatoon for 23 years. He died in April 1952 meaning he probably moved into the city in 1929. The census states he rents a single home made of wood with 4 rooms for 12 dollars per month.

We then note that Frank can speak English but not French however German is their primary language. When asked if he could read and write he answered he could write (in any language) but not read in English.

According to this census he worked as a labourer on road construction. I did not know this before the census. He earned 150.00 salary in the past 12 months. He also was at work on “Monday, June 1, 1931” - a very specific question asked of all employed persons in this census year. Frank Peters was unemployed 36 weeks in the past year and the cause was “no job”.

If we look at the transcribed information it states that he earned 550.00 in the past year. Also he was not at work on 1 Jun 1931. Also he was only unemployed for 3 weeks of the last year and apparently 31 weeks was due to no job. I do not know where these numbers were transcribed from and further they do not make any sense. 

This is just one example how careful one should look over their sources. The 1931 Canada Census is the primary source and not the transcribed information.  The census is only as reliable as the head of the household reported to the census taker's questions.  

Wendy