Tuesday Tip...1940 Indexing...Texas Lingo

Howdy Ya'll,
I'm here to tell you that knowing 'Local Yokel Lingo' can make a big difference in your Indexing of the 1940 US Census experience and your  'Arbitration Results'.

Arbitration Results!!!  What's that? 

I can best answer by revealing my own experience as an Indexer for the 1940 US Census.....

From the list of 'Download Batch', my first choice is anything from Texas. I started with Birth Records and right away knew that having a background in Texas Geography and Surname Lingo was going to be helpful in deciphering not only the 'Recorder's handwriting' but also the Spelling.  You see, in Texas...Counties, Cities, Towns and Places can really be called 'PoDunk'.

Here's a few Texas Places that will give you an idea of...'Can that be right'?

Hogeye, Notrees, Telegraph,  and Telephone, Texas

Kickapoo, Bigfoot, Frognot, Ding Dong, and Dime Box, Texas

Twitty, Kermit, Elmo, Nemo and Sylvester, Texas

Venus and Mars, Texas

Winters and Blanket, Texas

How about another Country in Texas.

China, Dublin, Egypt, Italy, Ireland, Turkey, London, Paris and Palestine, Texas

How about something to eat?

Bacon, Noodle, Oatmeal, Turkey, Trout, Sugar Land, Salty, Rice, Pearland and Orange, Texas

and for sure have a drink of Sweetwater, Texas.

Surnames...well, Ya'll, let's just say that Spanish, German and Southern Dialects have been Texanized over the years and 'Phonics' ...that is spellin' it like it sounds...ain't necessarily the way it is!  And Penmanship?  I'll have to get around to that in another post.

 I marched right through Birth Indexing and on to Death Certificate Indexing...which took me awhile longer due to a few more lines in the form, but mostly because they were very interesting with the longevity or short lived lives, and the causes of death.  Then I did several Batches of Texas Marriage Certificates without a hitch...pun intended...meaning the Arbitrators agreed 100 percent with my Indexing.  I've always liked 100's. 

I blew my 100 percent 'Arbitration Results'!

I thought I could  Speak and Spell Pennsylvanian!

The Longhorn and Short of this Tuesday Tip...

'The Grass Grazing is not always Greener in Pennsylvania'

Tuesday Tip...1940 Indexing...Texas Lingo written in support of the

1940 US Census Community Project

Upon it's release, the 1940 Census Community Project, a joint initiative between Archives.com, Family Search, findmypast.com and other leading genealogy organizations, will coordinate efforts to provide quick access to these digital images and immediately start indexing these records to make them searchable online with free and open access.

You, too, can support the 1940 US Census Community Project

by volunteering as a 1940 US Census Indexer.

Click on Badge and Get Started Today!