U.S. Census: Measuring America Has Changed

April 1 is the official date for the 2020 Census, information provided by individuals should include everyone living in the household on that date.  The information is used to determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and for redistricting of congressional, state and local districts.  It is also used in allotting funds to state and local governments from the federal government and for a variety of planning purposes.

The U.S. Census has been taken every 10 years since 1790.  For genealogists census information has proven invaluable in tracing family lines.  However, personal information is not released to the public until 72 years after the date of census so the most recent U.S. Census available for researchers is 1940.

Through the years the method for collecting information and the questions have changed.  In 1940 questions included location, name, relationship to head of household, gender, race, age, marital status, education, place of birth, residence in 1935 and employment information for anyone 14 years of age or older.

Counties were divided into enumeration districts and census takers were hired to take the population, housing and agricultural census through a door-to-door canvas of all residents.  Any enumerator sharing information gathered was subject to prosecution. 

Transylvania County enumerators in 1940 were S.S. Barnette, Walter Fisher, Hal Hart, L.F. Lyday, Mrs. N.A. Miller, A.M. Paxton, Walter I. Reece, J.C. Whitmire, Frank Y. Willbanks and Sutton Wilson.

All guesses for the Transylvania Times' 1940 Census contest had
to be entered on this form.

In April the Transylvania Times announced a contest to guess the county’s official population designated by the 1940 census.  The winner received $5.00, second place earned a one-year subscription to The Times and third place got a six-month subscription.  Contestants did receive a hint in the form of past census numbers of 9,589 in 1930, 9,303 in 1920 and 7,191 in 1910.  An article in the May 2 issue stated that there were hundreds of entries.  The most popular guess was 11,111 from fifteen individuals.  The highest entry was 22,000.

A preliminary report released on June 26 listed the population of Transylvania County at 12,229 up 27 percent from 1930.  There were a total of 2,662 housing units with 298 of those vacant.  Although it was noted that some of the unoccupied homes where summer residences.  The farm count was 1,018, an increase of 288 from 1930, although down 58 from a 1935 count.  Brevard’s population was 3,084 and Rosman’s was 529.

Based on this information Mrs. T.A. Smith of Lake Toxaway with a guess of 12,225 was the presumed winner.  The next three closest entries were from Mrs. Robert Scruggs of rural Brevard (12,222), Walter Shipman from Penrose (12,237) and Mrs. D.H. Hollingsworth of rural Brevard (12,241).  An article in the June 27 newspaper stated that, “Prizes will be sent as soon as the district office certifies the figures as being correct.  However, the count may be changed slightly.”  

No follow-up information is available because Transylvania Times newspapers from July 1940 through March 1941 are not available from any known source.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.