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Subject: Re: [NJHUNTER] MOCULAK, STANLEY U.S. Navy vs. Census
Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 01:20:20 EDT

In a message dated 5/25/2004 11:31:49 AM Mountain Daylight Time,
writes:
I have a distant relation STANLEY J. MOCULAK fom NJ. In the 1920 Census he
appears in the U.S. Naval Operating Base in Norfolk, Virginia.
.............
First: he gives his age as 22, instead of 19/20 (born 10/28/1901)

Second: states he was born in NJ (was born in Poland)

Third: states parents were born in Penn. (they both were born in Russia,
Republic of Poland - states so in Death Cert. too)

Fourth: I do have a picture of him in the Navy that he sent my great
grandparents. So I do know he was in the Navy & this was confirmed by a relation
that knows some things about my great grandparents + children.

Fifth: his Death Certificates states he was never in the Armed Service
(which I know for a fact that he was in the Navy)
..............
Didn't the Navy do any checking prior to having men in the service?

Is there anyplace I can check this out?

I know it would not be a child of his.

Thanks for any suggestions and/or help.>>

First, never assume it was your man giving primary information. Census
information was gathered any way possible. Remember, these census men were paid to
get the job done and on time. They asked the adult that was home...or a near
adult...or they asked the neighbor... Same thing with death certificate.
Things were not double checked for accuracy, so the person supplying the
information could be grieving and misunderstood the question, or could be a
son-in-law or daughter-in-law that was going by whatever they thought they heard at the
time. Also, the person writing the information down could have been thinking
of other things at the time and checked the wrong box.

Have you requested a copy of his military record from the Navy? Call your
local VA and ask how you could obtain a copy? And when requesting, ask for the
COMPLETE record to make sure you have everything. Don't leave it to someone
to have to guess what may or may not be important in your researching.
Finally, I would trust a military record over census records any day of the week.

Good luck,
Diane Wolford

This thread:

• MOCULAK, STANLEY U.S. Navy vs. Census by
  • Re: [NJHUNTER] MOCULAK, STANLEY U.S. Navy vs. Census by "Alice" <>

  • Re: [NJHUNTER] MOCULAK, STANLEY U.S. Navy vs. Census by