What do you think about the source in the research notes section?

Question

I created this profile for a recently deceased Hollywood Producer and Ham Radio Operator and found a possible source from the 1940 census but I am unsure due to his recent death and shortage of family information. Anyone have any opinions about if I should use this for him and his possible parents? Any help would be appreciated.

Comments

After reading his book I found that his father was Rupert and his mother was Annette which adds more credibility to this source.

Answer 1

Hi Dale,

Admittedly, that's a good find.

If I were you, I would ask myself: How do I know that this is the only person in this location, at this particular time?

It helps if the person has a fairly uncommon name, first and/or last name. David Bell (or Bells) doesn't look uncommon to me at first glance.

One of the clinchers in finding Census records is family relationships. The more family members, names and ages, that line up, then the higher confidence that I've found the match. I see in this profile there are no other family members in relationship. So it makes it challenging to say that the 1940 Census record you found is the exact match. Are there other sources for names of family?

The location find is some good digging though.

I wish I had a better answer for you. This is just my 2 cents.

Comments

Thank you Eric, The location came from two articles about his death that said he was from Ohio and one said he grew up in Andover, Ohio. so far that is the only record that turned up in my searching and sadly I am not sure about his birth parents yet. and you are right, Bell or Bells is not that uncommon in Ohio at that time.