Mining the 1880 Census Mother Lode: Insanity and Idiocy
When you think of using newspapers for genealogy
research, be honest, what do you think of first? Obituaries! In general, most
people automatically think of obituaries, too. However, newspapers are a
resource that can be used for much more. They are a useful tool for finding
your ancestor’s unique story, as well as for building an understanding of the
historical events that may have shaped your ancestor’s life. For example, if
your ancestor wrote or talked about an historical event, finding contemporary
documentation can add more depth to your family narrative. If great Aunt
Susannah mentioned the horrible flooding in Denver, Colorado, in July 1912,
checking the local or national newspapers might reveal more details than Aunt
Susannah was saying.
research, be honest, what do you think of first? Obituaries! In general, most
people automatically think of obituaries, too. However, newspapers are a
resource that can be used for much more. They are a useful tool for finding
your ancestor’s unique story, as well as for building an understanding of the
historical events that may have shaped your ancestor’s life. For example, if
your ancestor wrote or talked about an historical event, finding contemporary
documentation can add more depth to your family narrative. If great Aunt
Susannah mentioned the horrible flooding in Denver, Colorado, in July 1912,
checking the local or national newspapers might reveal more details than Aunt
Susannah was saying.
Some of the many reasons
why ancestors can be found in newspapers:
why ancestors can be found in newspapers:
Birth announcements
School reports, graduation announcements,
scholarships awarded
scholarships awarded
Marriage and engagement announcements
Divorce decrees
Land sales and purchases
Political associations or careers
Criminal activities, legal disputes
Military pensions granted
Invention patents recorded
Social activities
Charitable work
Church activities
Musical or theatrical performances
Notice of movement, such as a visit to a faraway
relative, relocation to a new city, a vacation or business trip
relative, relocation to a new city, a vacation or business trip
Accidents or Illnesses
Special anniversaries or birthdays
Business advertisements
Medical advertisements with testimonials
Obituaries
Funeral notices
Estate sales
Newspapers are great resources, but sometimes they
are difficult to find. The Library of Congress has a great resource for
locating newspapers, as well as their own digital collection of newspapers at Chronicling America. The website also includes the index “U.S.
Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present.” This is a comprehensive database with over
150,000 titles from all 50 states. Information on each newspaper ranges from
when and where the paper was published to which repositories contain copies of
the paper today.
are difficult to find. The Library of Congress has a great resource for
locating newspapers, as well as their own digital collection of newspapers at Chronicling America. The website also includes the index “U.S.
Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present.” This is a comprehensive database with over
150,000 titles from all 50 states. Information on each newspaper ranges from
when and where the paper was published to which repositories contain copies of
the paper today.
There are several resources for digital newspapers online though
the vast majorities remain in local archives. By starting with the U.S.
Newspaper Directory, you can determine whether or not a local paper existed in
the area where your ancestor lived, and then, you can find the repository that
houses the newspaper. Some repositories have staff members that are able to
help locate specific articles. Many have limited manpower and time restraints,
and do not have hours to spend searching through reels of microfilm.
the vast majorities remain in local archives. By starting with the U.S.
Newspaper Directory, you can determine whether or not a local paper existed in
the area where your ancestor lived, and then, you can find the repository that
houses the newspaper. Some repositories have staff members that are able to
help locate specific articles. Many have limited manpower and time restraints,
and do not have hours to spend searching through reels of microfilm.
This is
where a member from the
where a member from the
team can help. With access to
repositories around the country (and the world), they can access historical
newspapers and take the time to locate those news worthy items that highlighted
your ancestors’ lives.
Article by Deborah Sweeney, the Genealogy Lady
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