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Willie Nelson — 1940 US Census Record
Model Tree available1940 United States Federal Census · Bolivar-County, Mississippi
Our Model Tree links this Willie Nelson across the 1920, 1930 and 1940 US Censuses in Bolivar-County, Mississippi (XGBoost, ~Confirmed), with identified parents George & Thos — first a head (b.~1914), then head of a 4-person household.
Age 26
b. ~1914
Male
Head
Born: Mississippi
Married
1940 Census Record Details
| Census Year | 1940 |
| Location | Bolivar-County, Mississippi |
| Surname | Nelson |
| Given Name | Willie |
| Relationship to Head | Head |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | Black |
| Age | 26 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Birthplace | Mississippi |
| 1935 Residence (City) | Cleveland City |
| 1935 Residence (County) | Bolivar |
| Additional Details | |
| Occupation | keeper |
| Industry | Gas Company |
| Class of Worker | PW |
| Hours Worked | 50 |
| Income (1939) | 388 |
| Highest Grade | No 4 |
| 1935 Residence | Same place |
| Birth State | Mississippi |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | mississippi |
| Occupation | Keeper |
| Township / Ward | Cleveland City |
| Est. Birth Year | ~1914 |
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.
4 people recorded at the same address in the 1940 census.
| Name | Relation to head | Relative to Willie | Age | Birth yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Nelson | Spouse | — | 21 | ~1919 |
| Willie Nelson | Head | — | 26 | ~1914 |
| Joan Curtis | Other | — | 27 | ~1913 |
| David Nelson | Son | — | 5 | ~1935 |
Census Appearances
1920
Bolivar, Mississippi
Son, age 7
Bolivar, Mississippi · implied b. ~1913 — 5 household members
●
Primary link
· ~Confirmed · 2 sources
XGBoost
Household
| Surname | Nelson |
| Given Name | W. M. |
| Relationship to Head | Son |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | Black |
| Age | 7 |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Birthplace | Mississippi |
| Father's Birthplace | Mississippi |
| Mother's Birthplace | Mississippi |
| Speaks English | Yes |
| Birth State | Mississippi |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | mississippi |
1930
Bolivar, Mississippi
Son, age 16
Bolivar, Mississippi · implied b. ~1914 — 6 household members
●
Primary link
· ~Confirmed · 2 sources
XGBoost
Household
| Surname | Nelson |
| Given Name | Willie |
| Relationship to Head | Son |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | Black |
| Age | 16 |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Birthplace | Mississippi |
| Father's Birthplace | Mississippi |
| Mother's Birthplace | Mississippi |
| Occupation | Laborer |
| Industry | Farm |
| Class of Worker | W |
| Can Read/Write | No |
| Birth State | Mississippi |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | mississippi |
1940
Bolivar-County, Mississippi
Head, age 26
Bolivar-County, Mississippi · implied b. ~1914 — 4 household members
| Surname | Nelson |
| Given Name | Willie |
| Relationship to Head | Head |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | Black |
| Age | 26 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Birthplace | Mississippi |
| 1935 Residence (City) | Cleveland City |
| 1935 Residence (County) | Bolivar |
| Occupation | keeper |
| Industry | Gas Company |
| Class of Worker | PW |
| Hours Worked | 50 |
| Income (1939) | 388 |
| Highest Grade | No 4 |
| 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 Willie Nelson across 3 US Census years (1920, 1930 and 1940) in 2 locations, using XGBoost record linkage. Identified parents: father George Nelson (~0.92 confidence) and father Thos Nelson (~0.92 confidence) and mother Lula Nelson (~0.92 confidence). The pedigree spans 1 generation with 3 identified ancestors.
Show:
Gen 1
Parents
confidence ≈ 0.92
Father
George Nelson
b. ~1886
Source father
● Household
· direct · ~0.92
Father
Thos Nelson
b. ~1874
Source father
● Household
· direct · ~0.92
Mother
Lula Nelson
b. ~1884
Source mother
● Household
· direct · ~0.92
This person
Anchor record
Willie Nelson
Head · 1940 · age 26 · b. ~1914 · Mississippi
★ You are viewing this record
Confirmed / household (~0.90+)
Probable / derived (~0.65–0.89)
Candidate (<0.65, unverified)
Original Census Page
1940 US Federal Census — Bolivar-County, Mississippi
Open full size
1940 US Federal Census — Bolivar-County, Mississippi
Page Contents
40 people indexed on this census page (nara:1940:m-t0627-02010-00251)
| Line | Name | Age | Relation | Occupation | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jessie Stewart | 29 | Head | Attendant | Mississippi |
| 2 | Dora Stewart | 31 | Wife | Operator | Mississippi |
| 3 | Leola Stewart | 51 | Mother | — | Mississippi |
| 4 | Annie L Arnold | 12 | Niece | — | Mississippi |
| 5 | Norman Burks | 32 | Head | Cook | Mississippi |
| 6 | Selina Burks | 29 | Wife | Maid | Mississippi |
| 7 | Willie Nelson THIS PERSON | 26 | Head | Keeper | Mississippi |
| 8 | Mary Nelson | 21 | Wife | — | Alabama |
| 9 | David M Nelson | 5 | Son | — | Mississippi |
| 10 | Joan Curtis | 27 | Lodger | Laborer | Mississippi |
| 11 | James Link | 65 | Head | Street Cleaner | Mississippi |
| 12 | Goodra Joiner | 25 | Lodger | Carpenter | Mississippi |
| 13 | Julia Joiner | 25 | Lodger | Cook | Mississippi |
| 14 | Beatrice Blokeley | 50 | Head | Laundress | Mississippi |
| 15 | Tracer Clinton | 50 | Lodger | — | Mississippi |
| 16 | Mamie Robinson | 12 | Lodger | — | Mississippi |
| 17 | Albert Lewis | 29 | Head | Maid | Mississippi |
| 18 | Julia Lewis | 30 | Wife | Laborer | Mississippi |
| 19 | Johnnie May Lewis | 13 | Daughter | — | Mississippi |
| 20 | James Lewis | 12 | Son | — | Mississippi |
| 21 | Major Johnson | 52 | Head | Gardener | Mississippi |
| 22 | Martha Johnson | 29 | Wife | Maid | Mississippi |
| 23 | Davis Johnson | 5 | Son | — | Mississippi |
| 24 | Cornelius Williams | 18 | Lodger | Laborer | Mississippi |
| 25 | Ollie Boyd | 35 | Head | Finisher | Mississippi |
| 26 | Walter Blokeley | 48 | Head | Cook | Mississippi |
| 27 | Ethel May Blokeley | 34 | Wife | Cook | Mississippi |
| 28 | Willie Blokeley | 10 | Son | Gardener | Mississippi |
| 29 | Hosea Vice | 35 | Lodger | Cook | Mississippi |
| 30 | Louis Block | 35 | Head | Presser | Mississippi |
| 31 | Minnie Block | 32 | Wife | Maid | Mississippi |
| 32 | Cofee Jackson | 25 | Lodger | Porter | Mississippi |
| 33 | Amelia Michael | 35 | Lodger | Cook | Mississippi |
| 34 | James Short | 35 | Head | Supply Flagman | Kentucky |
| 35 | Marie L Short | 33 | Wife | — | Kentucky |
| 36 | Jay Hart | 59 | Head | Yard Foreman | Kentucky |
| 37 | Addie Hart | 55 | Wife | — | Kentucky |
| 38 | Mary Jane Hart | 20 | Daughter | — | Mississippi |
| 39 | Johnnie Brown | 27 | Head | Carpenter | Mississippi |
| 40 | Addie Lou Brown | 27 | Wife | — | Mississippi |
Related Census Records
Pedigree Summary
Willie
Gen 1 · 3 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)