This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: MLS919 Surnames: Classification: census Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.davidson/4861.1.1.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Found more information which may help with the mystery. Walter's WW I Draft Registration dated Sept. 17, 1918 shows Blanch as his next-of-kin and the Indiana Marriage Index shows they were just married in August. WW I Draft Registration 1917-1918 Name: Walter Paul Davidson City: Thorntown County: Boone State: Indiana Birth Date: 6 Dec 1898 Race: White Occupation: Day Laborer Employer: Big 4 (Frank Arnold), Thorntown Nearest Relative: Blanch Davidson (Wife) Height: Medium Build: Medium Eyes: Blue Hair: Brow .......................................... Indiana Marriage Index 1844-1920 Name: Walter P Davidson Spouse Name: Blanch Price Marriage Date: 26 Aug 1918 Marriage County: Boone Source Title 1: Boone County, Indiana Source Title 2: Index to Marriage Records 1844 - 1920 Inclusive Vo Source Title 3: W. P. A. Original Record Located: County Clerk's O Book: C-18 OS Page: 232 .................................... Since Walter's WW I Draft Registration says he was born in Dec. 1898, I took a look at the 1900 census because that is the only census that gives the month/year of a person's birth......and sure enough, the Walter who's parents in 1910 are Whitkin/William DAVIDSON and wife Etta, was born in Dec. 1898 so this looks like a good possibility for Walter's parents. The father is indexed as William in the 1900 index so I suspect the index transcriber had a hard time reading the image in 1910 and came up with Whitkin as an alternate name--although I could read the image quite well and it was William. (By the way, the Walter who had parents Sam & Alice was born in July 1898 so that eliminates him.) In 1900 William and Etta are living in Cass County: Source Citation: Year: 1900 Census Place: Eel, Cass, Indiana Roll: T623 362; Page: 20B Name: William Davidson Home in 1900: Eel, Cass, Indiana Age: 29 Birth Date: Oct 1870 Birthplace: Illinois Father's Birthplace: Illinois Mother's Birthplace: Illinois Spouse's Name: Ettie Marriage Year: 1896 Marital Status: Married Years Married: 4 Residence : Logansport City, Cass, Indiana Living at 100 Barrett Street William Davidson, Head, 29, b. Oct. 1870, married 4 yrs., b. IL, parents b. IL, Occupation: Teamster Ettie Davidson, Wife, 25, b. Oct. 1874, mother of 2 children, 1 living, b. IN, parents b. IN Walter Davidson, Son, 1, b. Dec. 1898, IN ........................................................ Here's the family in 1910 living in White County: Source Citation: Year: 1910 Census Place: Jackson, White, Indiana Roll: T624_389; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 211 Name: Witkins H Davidson / William H Davidson Age in 1910: 39 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1871 Birthplace: Illinois Relation to Head of House: Head Father's Birth Place: Illinois Mother's Birth Place: Illinois Spouse's Name: Etta Home in 1910: Jackson, White, Indiana William H Davidson, Head, 39, married 13 yrs., b. IL, parents b. IL, Occupation: General Laborer Etta Davidson, Wife, 34, mother of 6 children, 5 living, b. IN, parents b. IN Walter Davidson, Son, 11, b. IN, attends school Ralph Davidson, Son, 8, b. IN, attends school Sam Davidson, Son, 6, b. IN, attends school Roxana Davidson, Daughter, 4, b. IN Charlott Davidson, Daughter, 2, b. IN William H Hannah, Boarder, 49, Widower, b. IN, parents b. IN, No occupation, Has own income. ......................................... In my opinion, even though Walter gave both his parent's birthplaces as Indiana in the 1920 and 1930 census, either he didn't know that his father was born in Illinois or someone else gave the census taker the information and "they" answered Indiana to keep things simple. These kinds of birthplace "mistakes" were often made in census records, depending on who answered the door and gave the information when the census taker came calling. I haven't found a death record for Walter yet. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.