I'm looking for my dad who would have been 7 years old, in the 1910 census and can't find him.
Name is Harold Parker Gilmour, born 1903, Lynn, MA. Census records show he is not living with his father Phillip D Gilmour and mother Margaretta (Etta) Gilmour. An old family story tells that my dad was so bad that they sent him away to a home when he was little. He scrimped and saved and somehow at the age of 8 showed up on his parents' doorstep having traveled from across town. I've looked under Harold Gilmour, Parker Gilmour and "Gil" Gilmour (his nickname) and can't find him. Any help with this bit of research would be appreciated.

I found a birth record in Lynn March 19, 1903
Harold Gilmore 153 Jackson St. parents Philip D. Gilmore and Maria M.Best father b. Lynn a gardner mother b.Virginia.
It is writted over (corrected 11-20-44) there is no indication what the correction was. Notice the spelling of the last name.
Tina

1930 census Boston Harold is living with his parents married but no wife listed
Philip Gilmore 53 gardner married @ 23
Margretta 63 married @ 25b. virginia
Vilola Haskell step dau 35 singlefiles publisher\
Harold P. Gilmore 27 married married @ 19

Thank you so much for taking the time to look that up, however, I do have about as much information (census and other) on my father as is out there, EXCEPT where he was at age 7 during the 1910 census. I know he was in some sort of home, as his older sister, Viola, told me the story - but I don't know why and I don't know where. It's a piece of the puzzle I'd really like to know.

Many thanks as well to you for looking that up - but I need to figure out where he was in 1910 at the time of the census - because he was not with his parents and I was told he was sent to a "home" for unruly boys.

It is too bad you do not know the name of the home. I did a search on Boston HOme for Boys 1900 there were many. A Website cam e up from GEn-Web with microfilms of various places for boys and indingent people etc.They were census.His name might have been wrong in the census or it may not be there at all.I will keep thinking
Tina

Dad died when I was 12 so I never got the chance to ask him. I wish I had been "into" genealogy when his sister was alive, I enjoyed hearing the stories but never thought to write anything down or do further research back then (30 years ago!).

Thanks for all your help and suggestions!

I was impressed when I googled your father's name. He is a very famous person Mt. Gilmour is named for him. He went on the Byrd expesition to the North Pole. Your name is mentioned on expedia but no mention of his being in a home for boys.There is a bio for him. his 1st wife and 2nd
Tina

Yeah. He certainly did a lot of things in his life, but he was from a generation that kept secrets and didn't talk about anything negative, so there are plenty of unsolved mysteries in his past and his parents and grandparent's pasts as well.