Missing info on grandfather?

[Reba]

I know I have posted on here about my grandpa's unknown NA heritage but I seriously have hit a brick wall. Everywhere I look my grandpa William Thurston Whitehead's family are marked white. I tried to find him in the census in the 1920 and 1930's. He wasn't listed on either. He never had a birth cerificate and the family guessed his birthdate. His marriage record said he was 19 in 1939. Which meant he should have been on the 1920 census. Some of the family believe he was born in 1918 which again goes back to the census. He's not there! I don't know where else to look! I spoke to my mother and she was with him when he went to sign up for social security. He had to argue with the lady because she wanted to mark his race as black. Then when his wife was in the hospital she told the staff nurse that her husband was "colored". I am sooooo confused. Attached is a photo of him. Any help would be greatly appeciated!

[Reba]

Shirley, Thanks for the post you brought up. I don't think there is a connection. My line goes William Thurston Whitehead-John Young Whitehead/Dillie Tucker (SE Kentucky)-James Alonzo Whitehead/Harriet Rose Jones (Wayne Co., Ky)-Benjamin Whitehead/Mary Polly Huff (him-Monroe Co., Ky, her- TN)- William Whitehead/Margaret (NC).
Reba

[sammarroq]

Hi Reba,

Sorry, do you know any siblings for your William?

[Painted Horse]

On the 1930 census I came across a William I Whitehead in District 5 McCreary Kentucky. It list his parents as John (age 53)& Dillie M (age 40) Whitehead. Also in home is Ciretha (16), Eston (14), Charlie (6). All born in Kentucky, listed as white. There is also Keiths in that same district.

[Reba]

This would be the right family! I was looking for them in Wayne Co., Ky. Did it have William's age listed? I am starting to question if he belonged to John and Dillie. I have a few photos of his brothers and they have very round faces, not as dark complexion and smaller noses. The children I have for this family are Walter, Cynthia, Loyd Eston, Charlie and William Thurston Whitehead. I truly appreciate the help you all are giving! Reba

[Painted Horse]

Sorry I didn't mean to leave off his age. It listed him as 8. Before I posted my reply today, I looked and found on 1910 census for Ritner, Wayne, Kentucky John Y Whitehead (age 24), Diliah M (age 21), Walter Whitehead (age 1). All listed as white born in Kentucky.
On 1920 Census- Sinking, Wayne, Kentucky John Y Whitehead (35), Dilla M (31), Walter (10), Cynthia (6) All white, born in Kentucky. John rented the home.

[Reba]

Thank you for the information. At least we have his birth year now. I am so puzzled about his race. I don't knw much about genitics but I wonder if it is possible to have multiple "pale" generations then the NA blood come out generations later. I hope to take a DNA test to at least find out what % of everything that I am. The search goes on! Thanks a million!:)

[sammarroq]

Thank you for the information. At least we have his birth year now. I am so puzzled about his race. I don't knw much about genitics but I wonder if it is possible to have multiple "pale" generations then the NA blood come out generations later. I hope to take a DNA test to at least find out what % of everything that I am. The search goes on! Thanks a million!:)

Reba,

Genetics is a funny thing...I am reading a book right now for my Biochem class, "Mapping Human History", Discovering the past Through Our Genes, by Steve Olson. I am no expert, but can attest to my own family...having one redhead (brn eyed), 4 brown haired (1 hazel, 1 gray, 1 brn, and 1 Black-eyed), 1 black haired (gray eyed); my black-eyed has beautiful olive skin. My aunt has one better...one blonde, fair and blue-eyed and the other black haired, brown-eyed and dark complexion; she calls them "her light and dark."

Before spending big $$ on DNA, read up on it...there is one thread on this site about DNA, it is pretty informative.

Shirley

[Steve-o]

You should see my family...You should see my kids...

Some of us look native, some of us look English, some of us have red hair, some of us have blonde hair & blue eyes.

My wife and I are dark compected, dark hair, brown eyes. My son looks exactly like I did when I was his age, my daughter has blonde hair & blue eyes.

My uncles all looked the same, as did my aunts on my mom's side. But they had cousins with red hair & freckles, blonde hair & blue eyes, and everything in between, yet came from the same family lines.

I believe that dominant genes are interchangable, sort of "Luck of the Draw" based on my family & immediate family. Sometimes a native gene will be dominant, sometimes another gene will be. Might sound odd, but if you saw my family as a whole, you'd swear some of us weren't related.

I have an uncle on my paternal side who is dark complected, has black hair and blue eyes. Now that is a TRIP when thought about and an even bigger trip to look at him.

[Reba]

Steve-o,
I know what you mean with how different family members can look. My sister is very pale and I am medium complected. My own kids are so different. My oldest has black hair, yellow/brown eyes and darker than me. My second boy is my "white boy". He has brown hair, hazel eyes and can't get any more paler. My daughter has brown hair, dk brown eyes and my skin tone. The boys have always identified themselves as NA. I get some strange looks when they both will mark White/Native American on school papers. :)