First stop: the census

Usually my first step in genealogical research is to look through census records. It's like one-stop shopping. Almost everyone is listed in a census at some point in their life, the records often link other people together so you have more clues, and you get a sense of place.

So this morning, I began looking for "Levester Goodman," born about 1920 in North Carolina. Nothing. How about "L Goodman?" Bunch of those but no direct hit. Hmmm, gotta think this through.

For the moment, I am assuming he lived his entire life in North Carolina, as his enlistment record hints. He could have been listed in three censuses: in 1920, 1930 and 1940. Only two of those are currently available: 1920 and 1930. (The 1940 census won't be made public until 2012.) Complicating things is the fact he was born in one of those census years, so he might not have been alive when the census taker came calling. So if he can't be found in the 1930 census, this is could be a dead end.

I broaden my search more. Here's a promising name, a "Jasper L. Goodman," in both the 1920 and 1930 records for Sampson County. It's next door to Robeson County so it's worth a look. The name isn't exact- ditto for the the birth year. But they're worth looking into next time.