[Genealib] Partners in Census

[Susan Scouras]

>From  IPUMS, http://usa.ipums.org/usa/intro.shtml: Instructions to
enumerators for the 1920 census states, 
"If two or more persons share a common abode as partners, write head for
one and partner for the other or others." 
 
In the context in which I have seen this most in West Virginia census
entries, it is used for persons sharing living expenses like roommates,
such as miners in a house in a coal camp or clerical workers in an urban
apartment, as opposed to a boarding house boarder or roomer who is the
tenant of the head of household. 
 
I worked for the Bureau of the Census during the "POSSSLQ" (pronounced
possle-Q) era, when there was a quandary over what to call a man and a
woman living together in an established relationship outside of wedlock
who did not want to be called roommates.  Personally, I did not see that
Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters had any greater meaning
or clarified matters.
 
Susan Scouras
Librarian
WV Archives and History Library
The Cultural Center
1900 Kanawha Blvd. East
Charleston, WV  25305-0300
(304) 558-0230, Ext. 742
 

	-----Original Message-----
	From: genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
[mailto:genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu] On Behalf Of Bob Sink
	Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 3:02 PM
	To: genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
	Subject: [Genealib] (no subject)
	
	

	Colleagues:

	 

	Ancestry.com has a NYC census record from 1920 in which the
relationship to the head of the household is listed as "Partner".  The
head of the household was Sadie Griffin (her actual first name was
Zaidee) a librarian at the New York Public Library who I am researching.
The other occupant in the apartment was Helen Dadd, a teacher whose
relationship is given as Partner.  Has anyone seen this use of the term
Partner in this context?

	 

	Bob

	 

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	Robert Sink

	Chief of Archive & Library Services

	Center for Jewish History

	15 West 16th Street

	New York City, NY 10011

	917-606-8215

	bsink at cjh.org

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