RB
Robert Benson — 1940 US Census Record
Linked across censuses1940 United States Federal Census · Preston-County, West Virginia
Our Model Tree links this Robert Benson across the 1920, 1930 and 1940 US Censuses in Preston-County, West Virginia (XGBoost, ~Confirmed) — first a head (b.~1885), then head of a 7-person household.
Age 55
b. ~1885
Male
Head
Born: West Virginia
Married
1940 Census Record Details
| Census Year | 1940 |
| Location | Preston-County, West Virginia |
| Surname | Benson |
| Given Name | Robert C. |
| Relationship to Head | Head |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | White |
| Age | 55 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Birthplace | West Virginia |
| 1935 Residence (City) | Grant Mag. Dist. |
| 1935 Residence (County) | Preston |
| Additional Details | |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Industry | Farm operator |
| Class of Worker | OA |
| Hours Worked | 50 |
| Income (1939) | 144 |
| Highest Grade | 8 |
| 1935 Residence | Same place |
| Birth State | West Virginia |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | west virginia |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Township / Ward | Grant Mag Dist |
| 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 1940 census.
| Name | Relation to head | Relative to Robert | Age | Birth yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Benson | Son | — | 10 | ~1930 |
| Betty Benson | Daughter | — | 14 | ~1926 |
| Mary Benson | Spouse | — | 51 | ~1889 |
| J Benson | Son | — | 18 | ~1922 |
| Robert Benson | Head | — | 55 | ~1885 |
| Mary Benson | Daughter | — | 7 | ~1933 |
| William Benson | Son | — | 12 | ~1928 |
Census Appearances
1920
Preston, West …
Head, age 34
Preston, West Virginia · implied b. ~1886 — 6 household members
●
Primary link
· ~Confirmed · 2 sources
XGBoost
Household
| Surname | Benson |
| Given Name | Robert C. |
| Relationship to Head | Head |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | White |
| Age | 34 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Birthplace | West Virginia |
| Father's Birthplace | West Virginia |
| Mother's Birthplace | Pennsylvania |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Industry | General farm |
| Class of Worker | OA |
| Can Read | Yes |
| Can Write | Yes |
| Speaks English | Yes |
| Home Owned/Rented | O |
| Home Free/Mortgaged | M |
| Birth State | West Virginia |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | west virginia |
1930
Preston, West …
Head, age 45
Preston, West Virginia · implied b. ~1885 — 9 household members
●
Primary link
· ~Confirmed · 2 sources
XGBoost
Household
| Surname | Benson |
| Given Name | Robert E |
| Relationship to Head | Head |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | White |
| Age | 45 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Birthplace | West Virginia |
| Age at First Marriage | 24 |
| Father's Birthplace | West Virginia |
| Mother's Birthplace | West Virginia |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Industry | General Farm |
| Class of Worker | W |
| Can Read/Write | Yes |
| Home Owned/Rented | O |
| Birth State | West Virginia |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | west virginia |
1940
Preston-County, West …
Head, age 55
Preston-County, West Virginia · implied b. ~1885 — 7 household members
| Surname | Benson |
| Given Name | Robert C. |
| Relationship to Head | Head |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | White |
| Age | 55 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Birthplace | West Virginia |
| 1935 Residence (City) | Grant Mag. Dist. |
| 1935 Residence (County) | Preston |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Industry | Farm operator |
| Class of Worker | OA |
| Hours Worked | 50 |
| Income (1939) | 144 |
| Highest Grade | 8 |
| 1935 Residence | Same place |
| Birth State | West Virginia |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | west virginia |
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 Robert Benson across 3 US Census years (1920, 1930 and 1940) in 2 locations, using XGBoost record linkage.
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This person
Anchor record
Robert Benson
Head · 1940 · age 55 · b. ~1885 · West Virginia
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Confirmed / household (~0.90+)
Probable / derived (~0.65–0.89)
Candidate (<0.65, unverified)
Original Census Page
1940 US Federal Census — Preston-County, West Virginia
Open full size
1940 US Federal Census — Preston-County, West Virginia
Page Contents
40 people indexed on this census page (nara:1940:m-t0627-04439-00057)
| Line | Name | Age | Relation | Occupation | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flora B. Wolfe | 53 | Wife | — | West Virginia |
| 2 | Eleanor Wolfe | 20 | Daughter | — | West Virginia |
| 3 | R. Maxine Wolfe | 17 | Daughter | — | West Virginia |
| 4 | Ormal D. Wolfe | 15 | Son | — | West Virginia |
| 5 | Williard R. Wolfe | 12 | Son | — | West Virginia |
| 6 | Wilford G. Wolfe | 12 | Son | — | West Virginia |
| 7 | Curtiss H. Wolfe | 11 | Son | — | West Virginia |
| 8 | Robert C. Benson THIS PERSON | 55 | Head | Farmer | West Virginia |
| 9 | Mary P. Benson | 51 | Wife | — | West Virginia |
| 10 | J. Clyde Benson | 18 | Son | Lumberman | West Virginia |
| 11 | Betty L. Benson | 14 | Daughter | — | West Virginia |
| 12 | William R. Benson | 12 | Son | — | West Virginia |
| 13 | Thomas G. Benson | 10 | Son | — | West Virginia |
| 14 | Mary B. Benson | 7 | Daughter | — | West Virginia |
| 15 | Charles S. Christopher | 40 | Head | Lumberman | West Virginia |
| 16 | Enalyn P. Christopher | 34 | Wife | — | West Virginia |
| 17 | Everett G. Christopher | 17 | Son | Lumberman | West Virginia |
| 18 | Glenna B. Christopher | 11 | Daughter | — | West Virginia |
| 19 | Walter S. Wolfe | 33 | Head | Lumberman | West Virginia |
| 20 | Ethel M. Wolfe | 31 | Wife | — | West Virginia |
| 21 | Edith L. Wolfe | 7 | Daughter | — | West Virginia |
| 22 | Iron B. Hileman | 31 | Head | Lumberman | West Virginia |
| 23 | Martha J. Hileman | 27 | Wife | — | West Virginia |
| 24 | Mary J. Hileman | 9 | Daughter | — | West Virginia |
| 25 | Robert L. Hileman | 7 | Son | — | West Virginia |
| 26 | Willie G. Hileman | 5 | Son | — | West Virginia |
| 27 | Everett M. Hileman | 1 | Son | — | West Virginia |
| 28 | Lyman W. Criss | 46 | Head | Lumberman | West Virginia |
| 29 | Bessie Criss | 26 | Wife | — | Maryland |
| 30 | Mary Alice Criss | 3 | Daughter | — | West Virginia |
| 31 | Gertie B. Criss | 2 | Daughter | — | West Virginia |
| 32 | Lyman W. Jr. Criss | 0 | Son | — | West Virginia |
| 33 | Lottie W. Shaffer | 32 | Head | — | West Virginia |
| 34 | Robert P. Shaffer | 16 | Son | — | West Virginia |
| 35 | Ruby P. Shaffer | 15 | Daughter | — | West Virginia |
| 36 | Arnold H. Shaffer | 12 | Son | — | West Virginia |
| 37 | Clell M. Workman | 38 | Lodger | Miner | West Virginia |
| 38 | Martin D. Benson | 30 | Head | Farmer | West Virginia |
| 39 | Beatrice M. Benson | 30 | Wife | — | West Virginia |
| 40 | Twyla Lee Benson | 4 | Daughter | — | West Virginia |
Related Census Records
About This Record & Model Tree
This record was independently indexed by YourRoots from the 1940 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)