1940 Musings - One Generation Back

As I was digging into the 1940 Census to bring out more details and stories from the information provided in the Census, it dawned on me that having a "cross-family" summary might be cool. What kind of living situation did each branch of the family have? What were the occupations and the education levels and in what parts of the country were they located.

Where was our family in 1940?

Ages of Family:

• Fred Younngren was 67 and his wife Mildred was 54
• Pasquale Marotto was 30 and his wife Rose was 28
• Primo Osto was 38 and his wife Pauline was 24
• Joseph Marcinek was 36 and his wife Marie was 33

Housing Situations:

• Fred and Mildred Younggren owned their farm and it was valued at $15,000 in 1940, about $304,000 in 2022.
• Pasquale and Rose Marotto owned their home and it was valued at $2500, about $50,665 in 2022.
• Primo and Pauline Osto rented their home for $20 a month, about $380 in 2022.
• Joseph and Marie Marcinek owned their home and it was valued at $3000, about $60,796 in 2022.

Occupations and Income (where provided):

• Farmer - Fred Younggren, income not stated
• Chief Operator, Paint Factory - Pasquale Marotto, income $1248
• Licensed Practical Nurse - Rose Matthews Marotto, income llisted as 0
• Dye Operator, Chemical Factory - Primo Osto, income listed as $1400
• Grocery Clerk in family owned business - Joseph Marcinek, income $1200

Education:

• Fred Younggren had an 8th grade education; his wife Mildred had a high school education.
• Pasquale Marotto had an 8th grade education; his wife Rose had a high school education, plus nurse training.
• Primo Osto and Pauline are a bit of a mystery. The census said they had 5th grade educations, but I don't think my Noni had any education at all and I don't know about Primo at all.
• Joseph Marcinek had 3 years of a college education; his wife Marie had 3 years of high school.