As previously described, K.I. had traced their maternal/maternal lineage, and by match analysis available at GEDmatch, the leads provided appeared to be correct. Their reported grandmother is Sally. She is presumed to have had a relationship with “James R Whiting.”
Their tree indicated Sally was a resident of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, although she was born in Los Angeles, California, in about 1935. She was the eldest daughter and second of, ultimately, 12 children. A 1940 census search located just such a person and family description.1 Sally is listed as five years of age, born in California. The 1 Apr 1935 reported residence for the family is, “Same Place,” (Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio), as it is for every person over five enumerated on the sheet, not just the her family. Sally’s father is reported as working on a WPA park project as a laborer, and the family has six children at the time, with the eldest being seven years of age.
A California birth record was located describing:
| Name | Sally Ann [redacted for privacy] |
|---|---|
| Birth Date | 20 Apr 1934 |
| Gender | Female |
| Mother’s Maiden Name | Sw***** [redacted for privacy] |
| Birth County | Los Angeles |
In 1950, the family appears, again in Cuyahoga County, with 10 children in the household, but noticeably absent is Sally. The elder children otherwise appear as expected from the 1940 census: There are five with the ages reported as expected considering the 1940 census report, and five children have born in the interim.2 Where is 15-16 year-old Sally?
Eventually, Sally is located and identified (same given name, middle initial, and last name; presumed age; same location of birth3) as a resident of over one year at the Columbus State School. An exhaustive online search located no court proceedings referencing her admission, so it is presumed to have been a voluntary parental admission. It is noted that the 15-year-old has completed only the third grade, but is attending school at the facility.
Four years later, the Cleveland City Directory of 1954 discloses now 20-year-old “[redacted], Sally A” is a saleswoman at Kresge’s, residing at 2435 W 4th Street.4 Her parents, “[parents names redacted],” are at 2455 W 4th Street. In 1955, Sally A is a waitress at Seaway Leader Drug, residing at 1221 E 12th Street; there is no listing that can be confirmed with her parents’ names.
There are multiple copies of very few photos of Sally appearing in trees that can be connected to K.I. or their family. Sally appears to be a very attractive and vibrant young woman, possibly pregnant in one photo, but no years or other identifying information is provided regarding the photos.
Further documentary search locates a newspaper notice of a marriage application made by “James Whitting [sic], 44, 1968 E. 70, to Sally [redacted], 29, 6316 Edna, published by The Cleveland Press, on Monday, February 24, 1964. Also located was a listing in the Ohio Divorce Index5 supporting a marriage to James Whiting which had lasted 10 years, ending on 12 Sep 1974, and reporting there are four minor children in the household.
The 1974 Cleveland City Directory reports “[Whiting] James R (Sally A) h8303 Bellevue Av6, about a mile from the Edna Avenue address reported on the 1964 marriage license application account.
Indeed, four children of the household can be identified, with three found in the Ohio Birth Index, 1908-19647: a daughter born in early 1956; a daughter born in the spring of 1962; and, a son in late summer 1965. A third daughter, born in 1959, is surmised by other evidence, including social media. All the birth records located present the Whiting surname with Sally’s maiden name under “mother.”8
K.I.’s and others’ trees report that Sally died in Cuyahoga County, in 1980, at only 46 years of age and a corresponding death record was located9.
Meanwhile, in 1950s Richmond…
A line-by-line, page-by-page search of the Virginia State Penitentiary district of the 1950 census reveals no James Whiting among the 56 pages of names.10 The enumeration dates on the records are April 27-May 2, 1950.
A newspaper search of 1950 finds a report in the 19 Feb 1950 edition of The Virginian-Pilot that James R Whiting remains a prisoner in the State Penitentiary, and has filed suit regarding his 1938 conviction:
Whiting’s chief point, in a petition written in script, is the alleged failure of the court to advise him of his right to aid of counsel.11
April news reports indicate his writ hearing — in Suffolk County — had been delayed due to health issues of Whiting; and, on 27 April 1950 (same date census reporting at the Richmond prison was begun, infra), it is reported Whiting’s writ proceedings have been dropped, without noting whether Whiting was present for the hearing; only his appointed attorney is named as present in the article.12
Wondering if, perhaps, his health issues warranted a transfer from the penitentiary to a health care facility, an exhaustive search in Virginia at Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org did not reveal any 1950 Virginia census records indexed to James Whiting matching our James, nor across the nation. The only similar listing was none other than Robert Stuart’s son, James A Whiting, who is residing with his family, his father next door, and all in Maryland.
Newspaper accounts of James’ writ for habeas corpus proceedings support the supposition that he should be listed in the penitentiary census of April 1950:
- “l’Anson Designated” in the habeas corpus case of James Whiting against W. Frank Smyth, Jr., superintendent of the State penitentiary. The Richmond News Leader, Richmond, Virginia, March 29, 1950, page 29 : accessed 25 Jan 2026.
- “Writ Proceedings Killed for James S. Whiting” [sic] in which it is reported that Whiting’s attorney had informed him that the man had withdrawn his petition. Ledger-Star, Norfolk, Virginia, April 27, 1950, page 4 : accessed 25 Jan 2026.
- “Imprisoned Illegally in 1938, Man Claims,” in the Suffolk News-Herald of Suffolk, Virginia, reports on September 30, 1962, that James’ petition for writ of habeas corpus was first filed in November 1949, “…and in August 1950, it was dropped altogether when he was paroled.”
However, with his potential and reported change of locations – the Penitentiary, the Suffolk County jail, and possible health admission – it is possible he missed being enumerated in the 1950 census altogether.
Navigation
Footnotes
- “United States, Census, 1940”, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KW5P-GS7 : Sun Jan 12 02:44:44 UTC 2025), Entry for Thomas H Scott and Kathryn R Scott, 1940. ↩︎
- “United States, Census, 1950”, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6XBC-P9V6 : Mon Mar 17 18:04:47 UTC 2025), Entry for Thomas H Scott and Kathryne Scott, 1950. ↩︎
- National Archives at Washington, DC; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Year: 1950; Census Place: Columbus, Franklin, Ohio; Roll: 5929; Enumeration District: 94-308 ↩︎
- Cleveland Directory Co. Cleveland City Directory 1954. JSTOR, https://jstor.org/stable/community.32624216. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026. ↩︎
- Ohio Department of Health; Columbus, Ohio; Ohio Divorce Index, 1962-1963, 1967-1971 and 1973-2007. via Ancestry.com https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2026/records/54523?tid=113452106&pid=320117163717&ssrc=pt : accessed 20 Jan 2026. ( ↩︎
- Cleveland Directory Co. Cleveland City Directory 1974. Cleveland (Ohio) : Cleveland Directory Co. JSTOR, https://jstor.org/stable/community.32624258. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026. ↩︎
- Ohio Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics; Columnbus, Ohio; Ohio Department of Health, Index to Annual Births. ↩︎
- Record links withheld due to privacy concerns on living people; in possession of author. ↩︎
- Ohio Department of Health; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007. ↩︎
- Enumeration District: 119-129; Description: Richmond city – That part (Tract W – 3 – part), comprising State Convict Road Force and Virginia Penitentiary (Males) in Block 27 ↩︎
- “Whiting Seek To Set Aside Early Penalty.” Norfolk-Virginian-Pilot, 29 Feb, 1950; Section six, Page one. Online archives. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-virginian-pilot-whiting-seeks-set-as/163341775/ : Accessed 20 Jan 2026. ↩︎
- Ledger-Star, April 27, 1950, Page 4. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/ledger-star-whiting-proceedings-withdraw/163342427/ : accessed January 20, 2026) ↩︎