Odd Facts

Reviewing the family genealogy work that I did, I am reminded of the odd 1920 federal census in which our great-grandfather, Carlton Reuben Calkins, is reportedly living in Fresno and married since 1915 to Ella Lamb. My grandfather's name was Ralph Calkins and he was born in 1906, his mother being Ella Marsella Collins. But his name does not appear in Fresno. We all know that he was living in an orphanage for several years after his mother died. The children of Fresno 1920 are Orla and Louise Lamb and also Paul R. Calkins. So it seems sort of like a mistake, or maybe not. They also could have been lying, because elsewhere he appears as Robert Paul Lamb, born in 1914. All kinds of "mistakes" appear in census reports. People sometimes forget what year they were born and in which state. These mistakes or discrepancies are seen from time to time. Could there have been two different Ella Calkins' in the family? It might seem strange but then again there a lot of things that I don't know about these people. A lot can happen between the 10-year federal census reports. I have no idea.