JW
James Wells — 1930 US Census Record
Linked across censuses1930 United States Federal Census · Cook, Illinois
Our Model Tree links this James Wells across the 1920, 1930 and 1940 US Censuses in Cook, Illinois (XGBoost, ~Confirmed) — first a head (b.~1885), then head of a 7-person household.
Age 45
b. ~1885
Male
Head
Born: Mississippi
Married
1930 Census Record Details
| Census Year | 1930 |
| Location | Cook, Illinois |
| Surname | Wells |
| Given Name | James |
| Relationship to Head | Head |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | Black |
| Age | 45 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Birthplace | Mississippi |
| Age at First Marriage | 19 |
| Father's Birthplace | Mississippi |
| Mother's Birthplace | Mississippi |
| Additional Details | |
| Occupation | Laborer |
| Industry | Coal yard |
| Class of Worker | W |
| Can Read/Write | Yes |
| Home Owned/Rented | R |
| Home Value / Rent | 35 |
| Veteran | No |
| Birth State | Mississippi |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | mississippi |
| Occupation | Laborer |
| Township / Ward | Chicago City |
| Est. Birth Year | ~1885 |
Household Members
Census records only state relationship to the household head.
Pairwise kinship is derived (~90–95% accurate), not recorded.
Step/blended families and boarders can break it.
7 people recorded at the same address in the 1930 census.
| Name | Relation to head | Relative to James | Age | Birth yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katie Wells | Daughter | — | 17 | ~1913 |
| James Wells | Head | — | 45 | ~1885 |
| Annie Wells | Other | — | 41 | ~1889 |
| Aslee Wells | Other | — | 35 | ~1895 |
| Thomas Wells | Other | — | 39 | ~1891 |
| Ernest Wells | Son | — | 37 | ~1893 |
| Marie Wells | Spouse | — | 55 | ~1875 |
Census Appearances
1920
Cook, Illinois
Head, age 36
Cook, Illinois · implied b. ~1884 — 3 household members
●
Primary link
· ~Confirmed · 2 sources
XGBoost
Household
| Surname | Wells |
| Given Name | James |
| Relationship to Head | Head |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | Black |
| Age | 36 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Birthplace | Mississippi |
| Father's Birthplace | Mississippi |
| Mother's Birthplace | Mississippi |
| Occupation | Laborer |
| Industry | Stock Yards |
| Class of Worker | W |
| Can Read | Yes |
| Can Write | Yes |
| Speaks English | Yes |
| Home Owned/Rented | R |
| Birth State | Mississippi |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | mississippi |
1930
Cook, Illinois
Head, age 45
Cook, Illinois · implied b. ~1885 — 7 household members
| Surname | Wells |
| Given Name | James |
| Relationship to Head | Head |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | Black |
| Age | 45 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Birthplace | Mississippi |
| Age at First Marriage | 19 |
| Father's Birthplace | Mississippi |
| Mother's Birthplace | Mississippi |
| Occupation | Laborer |
| Industry | Coal yard |
| Class of Worker | W |
| Can Read/Write | Yes |
| Home Owned/Rented | R |
| Home Value / Rent | 35 |
| Veteran | No |
| Birth State | Mississippi |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | mississippi |
1940
Cook-County, Illinois
Head, age 52
Cook-County, Illinois · implied b. ~1888 — 9 household members
●
Primary link
· ~Confirmed · 2 sources
XGBoost
Household
| Surname | Willis |
| Given Name | James |
| Relationship to Head | Head |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | Black |
| Age | 52 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Birthplace | Mississippi |
| 1935 Residence (City) | Chicago city |
| 1935 Residence (County) | Cook |
| Occupation | Machinist |
| Industry | Railroad Shop |
| Class of Worker | PW |
| Hours Worked | 56 |
| Income (1939) | 1300 |
| Highest Grade | No 6 |
| 1935 Residence | Same Place |
| Birth State | Mississippi |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | mississippi |
Model Tree
An inferred pedigree reconstructed from census links — up to 4 generations within the 1900–1950 window. Closer generations are built from household co-residence; deeper ones are bridged by following a relative to their own childhood census. Confidence compounds and weakens with each generation.
Our Model Tree links James Wells across 3 US Census years (1920, 1930 and 1940) in 2 locations, using XGBoost record linkage.
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This person
Anchor record
James Wells
Head · 1930 · age 45 · b. ~1885 · Illinois
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Confirmed / household (~0.90+)
Probable / derived (~0.65–0.89)
Candidate (<0.65, unverified)
Original Census Page
1930 US Federal Census — Cook, Illinois
Open full size
1930 US Federal Census — Cook, Illinois
Page Contents
50 people indexed on this census page (ia:1930:illinoiscensus00reel438:0132)
| Line | Name | Age | Relation | Occupation | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alphonso Lehman | 34 | Head | Laborer | Florida |
| 2 | Aldonia Lehman | 18 | Daughter | — | Florida |
| 3 | Thomas Steward | 30 | Son-in-law | Janitor | Arkansas |
| 4 | Juanita Steward | 26 | Daughter | Laundress | Florida |
| 5 | Gus Bailey | 45 | Roomer | Laborer | South Carolina |
| 6 | Luperta Martin | 46 | Head | Helper | Ohio |
| 7 | Milton Martin | 15 | Son | — | Missouri |
| 8 | Alberta Lee | 18 | Ad. Daughter | Maid | Missouri |
| 9 | Harry Scott | 21 | Son | Wringer Man | Ohio |
| 10 | Katie Grant | 52 | Head | Maid | Georgia |
| 11 | Edward Grant | 16 | Son | Dish Washer | Georgia |
| 12 | Ruth Grant | 13 | Daughter | — | Georgia |
| 13 | Clarence Saxon | 23 | Son-in-law | Porter | Kentucky |
| 14 | Rose Saxon | 19 | Daughter | — | Georgia |
| 15 | Joseph Saxon | 1 | Son | — | Illinois |
| 16 | James Saxon | 0 | Ad. Son | — | Illinois |
| 17 | Louise Merritt | 30 | Daughter | — | Georgia |
| 18 | Marcia Merritt | 9 | Ad. Son | — | Georgia |
| 19 | Johnnie M. Merritt | 8 | Ad. Daughter | — | Georgia |
| 20 | David Merritt | 5 | Ad. Daughter | — | Illinois |
| 21 | Leroy Merritt | 1 | Ad. Son | — | Illinois |
| 22 | Telford Atkinson | 37 | Head | Laborer | North Carolina |
| 23 | Hazel Atkinson | 20 | Daughter | — | Illinois |
| 24 | Earl Pettigrew | 23 | Son-in-law | Helper | Illinois |
| 25 | Mabel Pettigrew | 27 | Daughter | Packer | Arkansas |
| 26 | Carrie Frazier | 25 | Daughter | — | Illinois |
| 27 | Elworth Beaton | 10 | Ad. Son | — | Illinois |
| 28 | Leroy Beaton | 8 | Ad. Son | — | Illinois |
| 29 | Pearl Booth | 3 | Boarder | — | Illinois |
| 30 | James Wells THIS PERSON | 45 | Head | Laborer | Mississippi |
| 31 | Marie Wells | 55 | Wife | — | Mississippi |
| 32 | Ernest Wells | 37 | Son | Laborer | Arkansas |
| 33 | Aslee Wells | 35 | Daughter-in-law | Helper | Arkansas |
| 34 | Thomas Wells | 39 | Brother | Laborer | Mississippi |
| 35 | Annie Wells | 41 | Sister-in-law | — | Mississippi |
| 36 | Katie Wells | 17 | Daughter | — | Arkansas |
| 37 | Mary Hundley | 32 | Head | Laundress | Mississippi |
| 38 | David Sweatman | 13 | Son | — | Mississippi |
| 39 | Fritz Beams | 21 | Cousin | Helper | Mississippi |
| 40 | Sophia Beams | 22 | Cousin | Maid | Mississippi |
| 41 | Julia Brown | 16 | Sister | — | Mississippi |
| 42 | Ward Shelley | 39 | Head | Cook | Illinois |
| 43 | Ursielene Shelley | 30 | Wife | Operator | Texas |
| 44 | Mary Dixon | 43 | Head | Maid | Florida |
| 45 | Mable Dixon | 37 | Head | — | Mississippi |
| 46 | Son Dixon | 15 | Son | — | Mississippi |
| 47 | Lorraine Dixon | 11 | Daughter | — | Mississippi |
| 48 | John W. Dixon | 9 | Son | — | Mississippi |
| 49 | Aralee Dixon | 1 | Daughter | — | Illinois |
| 50 | Hattie Price | 50 | Roomer | Maid | Ohio |
About This Record & Model Tree
This record was independently indexed by YourRoots from the 1930 United States Federal Census (NARA). Our Model Tree links this person across census decades using XGBoost-based record linkage, with per-link confidence scores. Household corroboration strengthens the signal when co-residents appear on the same census pages in multiple years.
Source: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)