I developed a knack for genealogical research while in library school and uncovered all sorts of interesting facts that filled in gaps in our family history. On my recent visit to California, my grandmother asked me to do some additional research, giving me a list of names and asking if I could dig up any information about these people and their departure from Sicily and their arrival in the United States.
Tonight I logged on to Heritage Quest through the Louisville Free Public Library, and in my first search I found a 1920 Census Record for Massachusetts. On that record I found the data collected about my newly married great-grandparents. (If there were a column to indicate such a thing, it would have recorded that my great grandma was pregnant with my grandmother at the time the census was taken.)
The most interesting and stunning thing I discovered was the line listing my great-grandfather’s name and information. Under “Whether Able To Read” and “Whether Able To Write,” it specifies “NO” and “NO.”
NO and NO. Does this mean he could not read and write in English? Or that he could not read and write at all?
I now own the children’s dictionary that belonged to him. He used it to help him learn English. My great-grandfather–we called him Papa Charlie–died when I was five years old. I don’t remember very much about him, but I do remember that I enjoyed reading his dictionary when
visiting him and that at some point he gave the dictionary to me. It always struck me as a little odd that Papa Charlie used a children’s dictionary to help him learn English, but now, seeing this census record that preserved for all eternity his inability to read or write, it all makes sense now. And I feel a little tearful that now, almost 100 years after he arrived in the United States, his great-granddaughter–a voracious verbivore who began reading at age two–has three degrees, while he lacked basic literacy skills as an adult. How lucky am I, and how grateful am I that Papa Charlie gave me this gift. I feel certain that if he were still on this earth that he would be proud of me.
Wow. The dictionary is a wonderful artifact of your Papa Charlie’s English literacy acquisition. I’m so glad he gave it to you.
Also, I think the really interesting thing here is that in 1920, more than likely, English literacy was the only literacy that counted, and even if your grandfather could read and write in Italian, it probably wouldn’t have counted. Even more interestingly, you’ll never know either way because of the way the records were maintained.
I like this blog.
Thanks, Tab. I’m so glad that he gave it to me too. And that’s such an interesting point, too, about what sort of literacy might have mattered to census takers in 1920.
I’m glad you like the blog. I like yours too! I added it to my blogroll.
What a beautiful family artifact to have! My grandfather, the child of two Sicilian immigrants – had to leave school at 4th grade to work – so I’m not sure whether my great-grandparents were able to read/write (in English – like you said – who knows whether they accepted the ability to write/read in a foreign language back then?).
I just started playing around with Ancestry.com – but I’m aware that there are probably a bunch of free resources (that site has a monthly fee… which seems reasonable to me because they have a nice interface). What other sites have you found useful?
The Ellis Island website allows you to search ship manifests. It’s free to register and search and view the records, but then they want you to pay (ridiculous fees) to order copies of a single page. I have figured out a way of *ahem* getting copies of the records anyway.
Ancestry.com is AWESOME. I believe you can search ship manifests there, as well as census records. When I was in Pittsburgh, the public library there subscribed to it, so I used all the time, absolutely free, which was lovely.
are you holding it with your feet