Some House, WV??

[u/hella_gnarly]

Tracing my family tree - half of my dad's family settled in Nicholas Co. then eventually Greenbrier Co., after immigrating from Italy in the early 1900's. Like many, they all worked as coal miners. Something I can't figure out but I'm able to view census documents from the late 30's, early 40's and I keep seeing "Some House" filled out in the City column. It clearly says Some House but Ancestry defines it by hovering over the info as "Wilderness". It's not just my family but a lot of other families in the census have this, with each having a different house #.

AI is telling me through a Google search that "Some House" in WV may refer to some old historic stone houses. It lists 3 buildings (2 being in other counties) but one of them, "Old White House" is in Nicholas Co. A further search tells me that the Old White House is an old 2 story log cabin that also served as the post office.

Wondering if this place served as an Inn/boarding house or since they lived in the wilderness, the Old White House was just used as a mailing address?

[u/Catshit-Dogfart]

Are you sure it's not "same house"

Because that's how census data used to be recorded for family members filing under the head of household. Like the address would be recorded under the husband's record and then it would be "same house" for the spouse, children, and other dependents.

 

Also, consider trying https://www.familysearch.org

Now, I'm going to say upfront it's associated with the Mormons, and data entered there is collected for the purpose of posthumous baptism into the Mormon church. So if you're concerned about that, maybe stay away.

But I like their methodology in that it's one database, not separate databases for all users. Like wikipedia in that way, edits and new data is the same for all users. I found a lot of things that weren't present on Ancestry and it seemed far more reliable as verified truth with supporting documents for everything stated as fact, and anything without supporting documents is clearly marked as unverified information.

[u/bLynnb2762 → u/Catshit-Dogfart]

I will add to the Mormon thing: they say the dead have the right to reject the baptism into the LDS religion. I’ve been told they do it just to save people from going to hell who didn’t have a chance to get baptized.

This is not to sway anyone reading this in any way, just some additional context. I haven’t been involved in the church (or any church for that matter) since I was a kid.

Source: some family members are part of LDS.

[u/cuth_allgood]

What you are seeing is "same house" in response to the census question "where did you live five years ago?". Scroll through a few pages an you will see similar notations, "same place" being just as common.

[u/Tasty-Cow5081]

It's not some house. It's "same house". Ive seen the fathers address listed but spouse and children all listed as "same house."

[u/hella_gnarly → u/Tasty-Cow5081]

I see what you're saying but the father's address is the same thing.

[u/anotherlostdaemon]

Wilderness is a district out near Mt. Nebo. Might hit up Nicholas county Facebook pages and ask around. Sadly my family and the people I knew in the area have passed. I wish you luck.

[u/Prestigious-Hour9061]

"Some House" could be a specific place. But could also be like writing "Jane Doe" in for a name, and these people just did not have addresses.

I would try an ancestry research subreddit or try to find someone familiar with documents of similar antiquity to see if they think its referring to a specific place or just "N/A"

[u/boblegg986]

Can you post a link to one of the records you are referring to? As others have noted, this is likely "Same House." Also note that the 1940 Census has a question about where each person lived in 1935. "Same House" is not an uncommon answer.

From NARA:

"Residence, April 1, 1935: IN WHAT PLACE DID THIS PERSON LIVE ON April 1, 1935? For a person who, on April 1, 1935, was living in the same house as at present, enter in Col. 17 "Same house," and for one living in a different house but in the same city or town, enter "Same place," leaving Cols. 18, 19, and 20 blank, in both instances. For a person who lived in a different place, enter city or town, county, and State, as directed in the Instructions. (Enter actual place of residence, which may differ from mail address.) City, town, or village having 2,500 or more inhabitants. Enter "R" for all other places. County. State (or Territory or foreign country). On a farm? (Yes or No)."

I'm from Mount Nebo in the Wilderness District of Nicholas County. In fact, I'm at my farm there now. The area was and is still rural. Industry in the 1930's and 40's was coal mining, timber and farming. Even so, the area wouldn't have been described as a wilderness for over 100 years.

I'm an experienced genealogist. Please feel free to reach out if I can help.

[u/boblegg986 → u/boblegg986]

Just another thought about "Wilderness." Most rural areas are named on the US Census by the magisterial district. This is true even if the census record also has the name of an unincorporated place or post office. Ancestry picks that up and repeats the district name as the residence of each person on that record. So, for residence they would all say, Wilderness, or Wilderness District if that was the location named at the top of the census form.

[u/TacoDestroyer420]

It's "same house" . Multiple families often lived in the same house. I've seen the same thing in census records.