# How to Find Who Lived at a Kirksville Address 100 Years Ago

Old Kirksville city directories, census records, newspapers and property records can identify historical occupants, but residency and ownership are not the same thing.

2026-07-21


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If you want to know who lived at a Kirksville address a century ago, start by choosing an actual year.

"About 100 years ago" can accidentally combine several different households.

Pick a target such as 1920, 1925 or 1930, then work outward from the nearest available records.

## Record the address exactly

Write down:

- the modern address;
- any historical spelling;
- directional prefix;
- nearby intersections;
- lot and block information if known.

Kirksville addresses and street names have changed over time.

Do not assume the modern number existed in the same form a century ago.

## Start with city directories

Truman State University's digitized Kirksville directories are one of the best local sources.

The 1906 Wallin directory, for example, includes:

- adult residents;
- street addresses;
- occupations;
- street guide;
- business directory;
- city map.

Other directory years may be organized differently.

Search both by surname and by street when the directory permits it.

## Use occupation to separate people with the same name

A directory entry may list a person's occupation or employer.

That can help distinguish two people with the same surname and initials.

Cross-check occupations with census records, newspaper advertisements and obituaries.

## Then check the census

Federal census records can add household information such as:

- family members;
- ages;
- relationships;
- occupation;
- birthplace;
- ownership or rental status in some years.

Street addressing varies by census year.

Do not assign an exact address from a census that only establishes a broader enumeration area.

## Occupant does not mean owner

A city directory generally tells you where someone lived.

A deed tells you who legally owned the property.

Those can be different people because of:

- renting;
- boarding;
- family arrangements;
- investment property.

Never write "John Smith owned the house" merely because a directory lists John Smith at the address.

## Use newspapers to confirm the identity

Once you have a likely occupant, search newspapers for that person.

Useful evidence can include:

- social columns;
- property sales;
- weddings;
- obituaries;
- fires or accidents;
- visiting relatives;
- business notices.

Newspaper context can help prove that the person in the directory is the same person appearing in other records.

## Do not treat directory absence as proof

Historical directories can omit:

- children;
- some spouses;
- boarders;
- temporary residents;
- people missed during canvassing.

The address may also have changed numbers between editions.

If a person suddenly disappears, check address history before deciding the family moved.

## Build a year-by-year worksheet

For each year, record:

| Year | Source | Printed address | Occupant | Occupation | Owner source | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

That prevents people from several years being blended into one imaginary household.

For deeper address reconciliation, see [How to Research a Kirksville Address When Street Names or Numbers Changed](https://switchboardtechservices.com/articles/research-kirksville-address-street-names-numbers-changed).

Historical address research is mostly controlled skepticism: every source gets to testify, but none gets to appoint itself judge.

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Language: en-us

Content type: article

Published: 2026-07-21T14:55:12+00:00

Description: A step-by-step method for finding who lived at a Kirksville address around the 1920s or earlier and separating occupants from property owners.