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Willie Nelson — 1940 US Census Record
Model Tree available1940 United States Federal Census · Sumter-County, Alabama
Our Model Tree links this Willie Nelson across the 1920, 1930 and 1940 US Censuses in Sumter-County, Alabama (XGBoost, ~Confirmed), with identified parents James & Jim — first a son (b.~1917), then head of a 13-person household.
Age 23
b. ~1917
Male
Son
Born: Alabama
Single
1940 Census Record Details
| Census Year | 1940 |
| Location | Sumter-County, Alabama |
| Surname | Nelson |
| Given Name | Willie |
| Relationship to Head | Son |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | Black |
| Age | 23 |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Birthplace | Alabama |
| 1935 Residence (City) | Election Precinct 1 Black Bluff |
| 1935 Residence (County) | Sumter |
| Additional Details | |
| Occupation | Laborer |
| Industry | Farm |
| Class of Worker | PW |
| Hours Worked | 40 |
| Income (1939) | 0 |
| Highest Grade | No 4 |
| 1935 Residence | Same place |
| Birth State | Alabama |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | alabama |
| Occupation | Laborer |
| Township / Ward | Election Precinct 1 Black Bluff |
| Est. Birth Year | ~1917 |
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.
13 people recorded at the same address in the 1940 census.
| Name | Relation to head | Relative to Willie | Age | Birth yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Nelson | Head | — | 52 | ~1888 |
| Sarah Nelson | Daughter | — | 18 | ~1922 |
| Bettie Evans | Other | — | 4 | ~1936 |
| Angeline Nelson | Spouse | — | 50 | ~1890 |
| Richard Nelson | Son | — | 25 | ~1915 |
| Robert Johnson | Other | — | 5 | ~1935 |
| Johnnie Nelson | Son | — | 13 | ~1927 |
| Richard Johnson | Other | — | 8 | ~1932 |
| Angeline Nelson | Daughter | — | 11 | ~1929 |
| Katherine Wallace | Other | — | 2 | ~1938 |
| Sallie Nelson | Other | — | 27 | ~1913 |
| Jake Nelson | Son | — | 15 | ~1925 |
| Willie Nelson | Son | — | 23 | ~1917 |
Census Appearances
Son, age 4
Sumter, Alabama · implied b. ~1916 — 4 household members
●
Primary link
· ~Confirmed · 2 sources
XGBoost
Household
| Surname | Nelson |
| Given Name | William A. |
| Relationship to Head | son |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | White |
| Age | 4 |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Birthplace | Alabama |
| Father's Birthplace | Alabama |
| Mother's Birthplace | Alabama |
| Occupation | none |
| Birth State | Alabama |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | alabama |
1930
Sumter, Alabama
Son, age 14
Sumter, Alabama · implied b. ~1916 — 11 household members
●
Primary link
· ~Confirmed · 2 sources
XGBoost
Household
| Surname | Nelson |
| Given Name | Willie |
| Relationship to Head | Son |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | Black |
| Age | 14 |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Birthplace | Alabama |
| Father's Birthplace | Alabama |
| Mother's Birthplace | Alabama |
| Can Read/Write | Yes |
| Birth State | Alabama |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | alabama |
1940
Sumter-County, Alabama
Son, age 23
Sumter-County, Alabama · implied b. ~1917 — 13 household members
| Surname | Nelson |
| Given Name | Willie |
| Relationship to Head | Son |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | Black |
| Age | 23 |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Birthplace | Alabama |
| 1935 Residence (City) | Election Precinct 1 Black Bluff |
| 1935 Residence (County) | Sumter |
| Occupation | Laborer |
| Industry | Farm |
| Class of Worker | PW |
| Hours Worked | 40 |
| Income (1939) | 0 |
| Highest Grade | No 4 |
| 1935 Residence | Same place |
| Birth State | Alabama |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | alabama |
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 James Nelson (~0.92 confidence) and father Jim Nelson (~0.92 confidence) and father William Nelson (~0.92 confidence) and mother Angeline Nelson (~0.92 confidence) and mother Mattie Nelson (~0.92 confidence). The pedigree spans 1 generation with 5 identified ancestors.
Show:
Gen 1
Parents
confidence ≈ 0.92
Father
James Nelson
b. ~1894
Source father
● Household
· direct · ~0.92
Father
Jim Nelson
b. ~1888
Source father
● Household
· direct · ~0.92
Father
William Nelson
b. ~1886
Source father
● Household
· direct · ~0.92
Mother
Angeline Nelson
b. ~1890
Source mother
● Household
· direct · ~0.92
Mother
Mattie Nelson
b. ~1898
Source mother
● Household
· direct · ~0.92
This person
Anchor record
Willie Nelson
Son · 1940 · age 23 · b. ~1917 · Alabama
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Sibling
Johnnie Nelson
Sibling · 1940 · age 13
Source co-child of head (derived)
● Co-child · derived · ~0.88
Sibling
Sarah Nelson
Sibling · 1940 · age 18
Source co-child of head (derived)
● Co-child · derived · ~0.88
Sibling
Richard Nelson
Sibling · 1940 · age 25
Source co-child of head (derived)
● Co-child · derived · ~0.88
Sibling
Jake Nelson
Sibling · 1940 · age 15
Source co-child of head (derived)
● Co-child · derived · ~0.88
Sibling
Angeline Nelson
Sibling · 1940 · age 11
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
1940 US Federal Census — Sumter-County, Alabama
Open full size
1940 US Federal Census — Sumter-County, Alabama
Page Contents
32 people indexed on this census page (nara:1940:m-t0627-00080-00023)
| Line | Name | Age | Relation | Occupation | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alice Everett | 21 | Daughter | — | Alabama |
| 2 | Eddie W Everett | 19 | Son | Laborer | Alabama |
| 3 | Katie J Everett | 17 | Daughter | Laborer | Alabama |
| 4 | Bessie M Everett | 15 | Daughter | — | Alabama |
| 5 | Nathaniel Everett | 14 | Son | — | Alabama |
| 6 | Lucile Everett | 11 | Daughter | — | Alabama |
| 7 | Mary Henry Everett | 9 | Daughter | — | Alabama |
| 8 | Pinkey Everett | 4 | Daughter | — | Alabama |
| 9 | Callie Harm | 45 | Head | Farming | Alabama |
| 10 | Willie M. Harm | 15 | Daughter | — | Alabama |
| 11 | Fred Harm | 13 | Son | — | Alabama |
| 12 | Jim Nelson | 52 | Head | Farming | Alabama |
| 13 | Angeline Nelson | 50 | Wife | — | Alabama |
| 14 | Sallie Nelson | 27 | H-daughter | Laborer | Alabama |
| 15 | Richard Nelson | 25 | Son | Laborer | Alabama |
| 16 | Willie Nelson THIS PERSON | 23 | Son | Laborer | Alabama |
| 17 | Sarah Nelson | 18 | Daughter | Laborer | Alabama |
| 18 | Jake Nelson | 15 | Son | — | Alabama |
| 19 | Johnnie Nelson | 13 | Son | — | Alabama |
| 20 | Angeline Nelson | 11 | Daughter | — | Alabama |
| 21 | Richard E Johnson | 8 | Grand son | — | Alabama |
| 22 | Robert Johnson | 5 | Grand son | — | Alabama |
| 23 | Bettie May Evans | 4 | Grand daughter | — | Alabama |
| 24 | Katherine Wallace | 2 | Grand daughter | — | Alabama |
| 25 | Mary Donald | 44 | Head | Farming | Alabama |
| 26 | Rosa Bell Donald | 18 | Daughter | — | Alabama |
| 27 | Hattie Donald | 17 | Daughter | — | Alabama |
| 28 | M. D. Donald | 15 | Son | — | Alabama |
| 29 | Mary Donald | 12 | Daughter | — | Alabama |
| 30 | Dorsonett Nelson | 5 | Grand son | — | Alabama |
| 31 | Richard Nelson | 3 | Grand son | — | Alabama |
| 32 | Rosa Bell Nelson | 2 | Grand daughter | — | Alabama |
Related Census Records
Pedigree Summary
Willie + 5 siblings
Gen 1 · 5 parents
~0.92
Max depth 4 (1900–1950 window)
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)