Ancestors in the 1930 U.S. Federal Census - Part 8

April 1st was Census Day for the 1930 U.S. Federal Census. In honor of that census day, throughout the month of April I posted lists of my known direct ancestors and where they were residing during that census. I am continuing this series into the month of May. I'll also list who's missing; for us family historians, missing individuals on census records can be the most frustrating and intriguing challenges of genealogy!

In Part 3 of this series, I posted information about one of my paternal great-grandfathers, Howard Merkel YORK, who was living with his father and step-mother when they were enumerated in the 1930 U.S. Federal Census. In this post, I will be focusing on Howard's mother and step-father, Mary E. "Mae" McARTHUR and Evan J. "Dick" RANDELL, and their sons, Howard's half-brothers.

On April 11th, 1930, this household was enumerated at 1004 South Seventh Street in Ward 3 of St. Clair, St. Clair Co., Michigan (E.D. 48, Sheet 9A). The household consisted of:

• Evan J. RANDELL, head, owner of a home worth $3000 [$34,175.11 in today's money], radio in the home, does not live on a farm, male, white, age 62, married, age at first marriage: 36 [incorrect; this was his age when he married Mary, his second wife; he was 23 when he married his first wife, Annie O. ANTEN], not in school, able to read and write, born in Michigan, father born in New York, mother born in Michigan [other census records indicate she was born in New York], English-speaking, occupied as a "janiter" at a salt works who earned wages (vs. a salary), employed, not a veteran
• Mary E. RANDELL, wife, female, white, age 55, married, age at first marriage: 29 [incorrect; this was her age when she married Evan, her second husband; she was 18 when she married James L. YORK], not in school, able to read and write, born in Michigan, father born in Canada and an English-speaker, mother born in New York [incorrect - she was born in Ingham Co., Michigan], English-speaking, occupation: none
• Clare M. RANDELL, son, male, white, age 23, single, not in school, able to read and write, born in Michigan, both parents born in Michigan, English-speaking, watchman for a passenger bus [company] who earned wages, unemployed (line number 36 on Unemployment Schedule), not a veteran
• Wayne E. RANDELL, son, male, white, age 21, single, not in school, age to read and write, born in Michigan, both parents born in Michigan, English-speaking, shaper for a salt works who earned wages, employed, not a veteran

I hadn't noticed the Unemployment Schedule reference before, so I pulled out my copy of Your Guide to the Federal Census: for genealogists, researchers, and family historians by Kathleen W. Hinckley (2002, Betterway Books - now Family Tree Books). Unfortunately, I could not find any information listed. I Googled it, and came across a page with some FAQs on the National Archives site, which said those schedules no longer exist.

I do have some information about Evan/Dick's first marriage. What I hadn't thought to look for are possible children of that marriage, and whether or not he divorced his first wife or she died before he married Mary/Mae. I do know from interviewing relatives who knew her well that Dick was the love of Mae's life, and that she married him two months after her divorce from James, who was the plaintiff in their case. In their divorce, James received custody of their two boys, Ernest and Howard, and Mae had custody of Hazel, their daughter. The York family lived in a corner of Atlas Twp., Genesee Co., Michigan, which was just a few miles from the Randell home in Hadley Twp., Lapeer Co., Michigan. I have often wondered if Mae and Dick met and fell in love while she was still married to James. I have not had much success in obtaining the Yorks' actual divorce record, and although it's on my "to-do" list, I am going to have to prioritize that!

(Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12)