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Willie Nelson — 1920 US Census Record
Model Tree available1920 United States Federal Census · Boone, Iowa
Our Model Tree links this Willie Nelson across the 1920, 1930 and 1940 US Censuses in Boone, Iowa (XGBoost, ~Confirmed), with identified parents Charles & Nels — first a son (b.~1908), then head of a 5-person household.
Age 12
b. ~1908
Male
Son
Born: Iowa
Single
1920 Census Record Details
| Census Year | 1920 |
| Location | Boone, Iowa |
| Surname | Nelson |
| Given Name | Willie |
| Relationship to Head | Son |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | White |
| Age | 12 |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Birthplace | Iowa |
| Father's Birthplace | Sweden |
| Mother's Birthplace | Iowa |
| Additional Details | |
| Can Read | Yes |
| Can Write | Yes |
| Speaks English | Yes |
| Birth State | Iowa |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | iowa |
| Township / Ward | Marcy Township |
| Est. Birth Year | ~1908 |
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.
5 people recorded at the same address in the 1920 census.
| Name | Relation to head | Relative to Willie | Age | Birth yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willie Nelson | Son | — | 12 | ~1908 |
| Linn Nelson | Daughter | — | 7 | ~1913 |
| Charles Nelson | Head | — | 47 | ~1873 |
| Anna Johnson | Other | — | 68 | ~1852 |
| Cecilia Nelson | Spouse | — | 37 | ~1883 |
Census Appearances
1920
Boone, Iowa
Son, age 12
Boone, Iowa · implied b. ~1908 — 5 household members
| Surname | Nelson |
| Given Name | Willie |
| Relationship to Head | Son |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | White |
| Age | 12 |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Birthplace | Iowa |
| Father's Birthplace | Sweden |
| Mother's Birthplace | Iowa |
| Can Read | Yes |
| Can Write | Yes |
| Speaks English | Yes |
| Birth State | Iowa |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | iowa |
1930
Boone, Iowa
Son, age 23
Boone, Iowa · implied b. ~1907 — 3 household members
●
Primary link
· ~Confirmed · 2 sources
XGBoost
Household
| Surname | Nelson |
| Given Name | William |
| Relationship to Head | Son |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | White |
| Age | 23 |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Birthplace | Iowa |
| Father's Birthplace | Sweden |
| Mother's Birthplace | Iowa |
| Occupation | Farm Laborer |
| Industry | Gen Farm |
| Class of Worker | VVVV |
| Can Read/Write | Yes |
| Birth State | Iowa |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | iowa |
Son, age 33
Boone-County, Iowa · implied b. ~1907 — 3 household members
●
Primary link
· ~Confirmed · 2 sources
XGBoost
Household
| Surname | Nelson |
| Given Name | William |
| Relationship to Head | Son |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | White |
| Age | 33 |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Birthplace | Iowa |
| 1935 Residence (City) | Marcy Twp. |
| 1935 Residence (County) | Boone |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Industry | Farm |
| Class of Worker | OA |
| Hours Worked | 60 |
| Income (1939) | 0 |
| Highest Grade | 8 |
| 1935 Residence | Same place |
| Birth State | Iowa |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | iowa |
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 Willie Nelson across 3 US Census years (1920, 1930 and 1940) in 2 locations, using XGBoost record linkage. Identified parents: father Charles Nelson (~0.92 confidence) and father Nels Nelson (~0.92 confidence) and mother Callie Nelson (~0.92 confidence) and mother Cecilia Nelson (~0.92 confidence). The pedigree spans 1 generation with 4 identified ancestors.
Show:
Gen 1
Parents
confidence ≈ 0.92
Father
Charles Nelson
b. ~1873
Source father
● Household
· direct · ~0.92
Father
Nels Nelson
b. ~1884
Source father
● Household
· direct · ~0.92
Mother
Callie Nelson
b. ~1882
Source mother
● Household
· direct · ~0.92
Mother
Cecilia Nelson
b. ~1883
Source mother
● Household
· direct · ~0.92
This person
Anchor record
Willie Nelson
Son · 1920 · age 12 · b. ~1908 · Iowa
★ You are viewing this record
Sibling
Linn Nelson
Sibling · 1920 · age 7
Source co-child of head (derived)
● Co-child · derived · ~0.88
Confirmed / household (~0.90+)
Probable / derived (~0.65–0.89)
Candidate (<0.65, unverified)
Original Census Page
1920 US Federal Census — Boone, Iowa
Open full size
1920 US Federal Census — Boone, Iowa
Page Contents
50 people indexed on this census page (ia:1920:14thcensusofpopu479unit:0509)
| Line | Name | Age | Relation | Occupation | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | Marie Jenkins | 60 | Wife | — | Iowa |
| 52 | Vincent Kruse | 70 | Head | Farmer | Bohemian |
| 53 | Mary Kruse | 59 | Wife | Farmer | Bohemian |
| 54 | Rudolph Kruse | 20 | Son | Farm Laborer | Iowa |
| 55 | William Kruse | 17 | Son | Teamster | Iowa |
| 56 | Louis Kruse | 15 | Son | — | Iowa |
| 57 | Charles Kruse | 50 | Head | Farmer | Iowa |
| 58 | William Kruse | 54 | Brother | Farmer | Germany |
| 59 | Henry Kruse | 46 | Brother | Farmer | Iowa |
| 60 | Minna Kruse | 72 | Mother | — | Germany |
| 61 | Lizzie Kruse | 44 | Sister | — | Iowa |
| 62 | Lena Kruse | 38 | Sister | — | Iowa |
| 63 | Edgar Goodman | 39 | Head | Farmer | Iowa |
| 64 | Ada May Goodman | 36 | Wife | — | Iowa |
| 65 | Glenn E. Goodman | 11 | Son | — | Iowa |
| 66 | Emma Goodman | 8 | Daughter | — | Iowa |
| 67 | Wendell G. Goodman | 5 | Son | — | Iowa |
| 68 | Charles O. Nelson | 47 | Head | Farmer | Sweden |
| 69 | Cecilia Nelson | 37 | Wife | — | Iowa |
| 70 | Willie Nelson THIS PERSON | 12 | Son | — | Iowa |
| 71 | Linn E. Nelson | 7 | Daughter | — | Iowa |
| 72 | Anna Johnson | 68 | Mother-in-law | — | Sweden |
| 73 | Thomas Troys | 43 | Head | Farmer | Iowa |
| 74 | Gertie Troys | 33 | Wife | — | Iowa |
| 75 | Mary Troys | 16 | Daughter | — | Iowa |
| 76 | Clarence Troys | 14 | Son | — | Iowa |
| 77 | Fred Troys | 11 | Daughter | — | Iowa |
| 78 | Thomas Brownell | 49 | Head | Farmer | Iowa |
| 79 | Isabelle Brownell | 23 | Daughter | — | Iowa |
| 80 | Katie Brownell | 20 | Daughter | — | Iowa |
| 81 | Bessie Livingstone | 42 | Head | Farmer | Iowa |
| 82 | Elsie Livingstone | 40 | Wife | — | Iowa |
| 83 | Irene Livingstone | 20 | Daughter | — | Iowa |
| 84 | Helen Livingstone | 18 | Daughter | — | Iowa |
| 85 | Morgan Livingstone | 10 | Son | — | Iowa |
| 86 | Wilbur Livingstone | 0 | Son | — | Iowa |
| 87 | William O. Rose | 53 | Head | Farmer | Iowa |
| 88 | Ada Rose | 49 | Wife | — | Iowa |
| 89 | Clyde M. Rose | 24 | Son | Garage | Iowa |
| 90 | Harold Rose | 21 | Son | Truck Driver | Iowa |
| 91 | John Sitz | 68 | Head | Farmer | Germany |
| 92 | Lucille Sitz | 27 | Daughter | — | Iowa |
| 93 | Margrethe Sitz | 23 | Daughter | — | Iowa |
| 94 | William H. Sitz | 19 | Son | Farmer | Iowa |
| 95 | Marie Sitz | 34 | Daughter | — | Iowa |
| 96 | Paul E. Sitz | 3 | Grandson | — | South Dakota |
| 97 | Harry Hall | 50 | Head | Farmer | Ohio |
| 98 | Hattie Hall | 17 | Son | — | Iowa |
| 99 | Swan Peterson | 60 | Head | Farmer | Sweden |
| 100 | Emma Peterson | 47 | Wife | — | Iowa |
Related Census Records
Pedigree Summary
Willie + 1 sibling
Gen 1 · 4 parents
~0.92
Max depth 4 (1900–1950 window)
About This Record & Model Tree
This record was independently indexed by YourRoots from the 1920 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)