James Dallas Howell in the 1950 Census

Census Sunday
Howell Research
Howell Line
By Don Taylor

I’ve been finding it quite fun to find family members during the 1950 Census. Often, it contains information I knew part of but not all of the story.

For example, I knew grandparents, James Dallas & Mary (Hobbs) Howell, lived in Maryland in the 1950s. I didn’t realize that they were living with their daughter, Mary, and her husband, Don Wright, in what must have been a new home.

1950 Census[i]

The household lived at 1617 Belvedere Blvd. Silver Spring, Maryland, the 1,280 sq ft house was built in 1948.[ii]

The house has no alley, no garage, and no parking.

Name                   Age  Role             Born         Employed

Don O Wright       32      Head            Ohio         Manager, Standard Oil St.
Mary H Wright      24      Wife              NC
Helen E Wright     2       Daughter       Wash. DC
James D Howell    70      Father-in-law NC           Clerk, Reconstruction Fin
Mary H Howell      65      Mother-in-law   NC
Frank A Howell     34      Brother-in-law  NC         Electrician, Inter-office Com.

Mary was entered on Line 4, so additional sample data was collected from her that included:

• • In 1949 she lived in Washington D.C.
  • For education, she completed the 12^th
  • She also served in the military during World War II and either before or after the war.[iii]
    

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Endnotes:

[i] 1950 Census for Wheaton, Montgomery, Maryland – ED 16-144, Sheet 2, Lines 3 thru 8. – Don Wright Head. Via Ancestry.Com. https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/29038454?h=256a1f

[ii] Internet – Zillow entry for 1617 Belvedere. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1617-Belvedere-Blvd-Silver-Spring-MD-20902/37288773_zpid/

[iii] This Census question was intended to be asked only of males over the age of 14. However, its answers are entered for Mary. I need to research further to learn if Mary served, or if Don served and Mary’s answers pertained to her husband.