Newspapers for Genealogists: Finding the Details of your Ancestor’s Lives

Newspapers for Newspapers for Genealogists: Genealogists: Finding the Details of your Ancestor’s Finding the Details of your Ancestor’s LivesLives

Thomas Jay Kemp

SCGS Jamboree

Burbank, California

8 June 2012

Newspapers 6,100 & Growing! 1690-Today

◦Over 6,100 newspapers All 50 states 1690 to today

◦Over 1.2 Billion Records◦Over 263,000 rare books &

documents◦Over 212 million obituaries

& death records

Key items in newspapers …

Boston News-Letter. July 24‐July 31, 1704. page 4Boston News-Letter. July 24‐July 31, 1704. page 4

Obituaries

James Edwin Ayres (1817-1893) and his wife Ann (Ford) Ayres

(1817-1901) are listed in the 1850 census for Greenburgh,

Westchester County, New York.

Hudson River Chronicle (Sing Sing, NY) 12 December 1848

Obituary notice for Lovina Ayres born 7 August 1846

died 28November 1848

BirthsBirths

Aberdeen (SD) Daily Herald. 10 December 1999, page 18.

Aberdeen (SD) Daily Herald. 10 December 1999,

Child’s name, date and place of birth

Mother’s maiden name

Names of both sets of grand-parents

Names of the great grandparents

Fort Wayne Sentinel. 13 April 1917. page 18

“This is their third daughter”

“Mr. Monroe left about three weeks ago for a southern camp (Army), where he was called in the draft.”

Mrs. Monroe – formerly Miss Rhea Holtzberg – a teacher in the Butler City schools

Fort Wayne Sentinel. 13 April 1917. page 18

Trenton Evening TimesTrenton Evening Times. 4 October 1964. Page 49. . 4 October 1964. Page 49.

Dallas Morning NewsNovember 19, 1978

Marriage announcements

EngagementsEngagements

CluesCluesNames of the

bride and groomName and

location of the church

Date of the wedding

Where the couple will live

Names of the parents of the bride

Biographical information

Members of the wedding party

Pictures

Independent InquirerIndependent Inquirer (Brattleboro, Vermont) (Brattleboro, Vermont) 28 June 1834, page 328 June 1834, page 3

Eastern ArgusEastern ArgusPortland, Portland, Maine: 19 Aug 1828Maine: 19 Aug 1828 – Page 3 – Page 3

Philadelphia InquirerPhiladelphia Inquirer29 Jan 189529 Jan 1895

Names, ages

Names, agesResidence

Names, agesResidenceWhere married

Names, agesResidenceWhere married1st wife died, 14

months ago

months agoMarried 63 years

months agoMarried 63 yearsOnly death in

family

months agoMarried 63 yearsOnly death in

family# of children,

grandchildren etc.

1880 Census1880 CensusGarrett County, MDGarrett County, MD

Dallas Morning NewsDallas Morning News (Texas) (Texas)19 January 1948, Section 2, page 1319 January 1948, Section 2, page 13

Boston Post BoyBoston Post Boy (Massachusetts) (Massachusetts) 22 July 1751, page 2 22 July 1751, page 2

Commercial Daily RegisterCommercial Daily Register (Sandusky, Ohio) (Sandusky, Ohio)25 January 1862, page 125 January 1862, page 1

Family ReunionsFamily Reunions

Family ReunionsFamily Reunions Held at Oakland Park,

Decatur, Illinois Descendents of Jacob

Garver of Switzerland The American line of this

family descends from Christian Garver, Jacob’s son, who immigrated to America in 1790

Christian Garver settled in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

David Garver came to Decatur, Illinois, in 1840

Other family members

Friend. (Honolulu, Hawaii). Friend. (Honolulu, Hawaii). 28 February 1878. page 1328 February 1878. page 13

- He was from Hampton, NH- He was from Hampton, NH - Left home abt. 25 years ago (around 1853) - Left home abt. 25 years ago (around 1853) - Now abt. 50-60 yrs. old - Now abt. 50-60 yrs. old - He sailed on the ships - He sailed on the ships MontezumaMontezuma, , William William ThompsonThompson and and RomanRoman - He had sailed out of New Bedford, MA - He had sailed out of New Bedford, MA - He once sailed under a Master Allen - He once sailed under a Master Allen - Others named: - Others named:

Rev. Mr. Butler of New Bedford, MARev. Mr. Butler of New Bedford, MA Mrs. J. C. Hardy of Haverhill, MA Mrs. J. C. Hardy of Haverhill, MA

Friend. (Honolulu, Hawaii). Friend. (Honolulu, Hawaii). 1 April 18791 April 1879

Family ReunionsFamily Reunions- Sailor looking for his family: Peter Gennett- Sailor looking for his family: Peter Gennett - His birthplace: Albany, New York - His birthplace: Albany, New York - Lost contact with his family 30 yrs ago (around - Lost contact with his family 30 yrs ago (around 1841)1841) - Father: John W. Gennett; kept a grocery story in - Father: John W. Gennett; kept a grocery story in Albany, naturalized Frenchman - long-time sexton Albany, naturalized Frenchman - long-time sexton of the only Chatholic Church in Albany of the only Chatholic Church in Albany - Mother: Johanna Henny (or Hennie); Scotch by - Mother: Johanna Henny (or Hennie); Scotch by birth, she was a native of Nova Scotiabirth, she was a native of Nova Scotia - Family: eight children - Cornelia, William, Peter, - Family: eight children - Cornelia, William, Peter, John, Edward, Frances, Charles and HenryJohn, Edward, Frances, Charles and Henry - William: a cabinet maker; was deaf and dumb - William: a cabinet maker; was deaf and dumb - Frances: was at the New York Deaf & Dumb - Frances: was at the New York Deaf & Dumb Asylum Asylum

The Irish World (New York, New York) 3 December 1904, page 8

Family ReunionsFamily ReunionsReilly (Leitrim—New York)Reilly (Leitrim—New York)

- Patrick Reilly left Carrickallen, Ireland, - Patrick Reilly left Carrickallen, Ireland, 13 years ago (about 1891)13 years ago (about 1891) - He was last heard from 5 years ago - He was last heard from 5 years ago (about 1899)(about 1899) - He was a motorman on a street car in - He was a motorman on a street car in NYCNYC - Mother’s maiden name: Hagan - Mother’s maiden name: Hagan - Sisters: Bridget and Mary - Sisters: Bridget and Mary - Brother: Edward, Butte, Montana (he - Brother: Edward, Butte, Montana (he placed the ad)placed the ad)

Family ReunionsFamily ReunionsO’Mealy (United States)O’Mealy (United States)

- John O’Mealy left New York in May - John O’Mealy left New York in May 1873 and has not been seen or heard 1873 and has not been seen or heard from sincefrom since - He was supposed to have gone to - He was supposed to have gone to TexasTexas - He was five feet nine inches tall, with - He was five feet nine inches tall, with medium complexion, brown hair, and medium complexion, brown hair, and blue eyesblue eyes - Sister: Maggie, now Mrs. M. Coonan - Sister: Maggie, now Mrs. M. Coonan - Sister’s address: 624 Greenwich - Sister’s address: 624 Greenwich Street, NYCStreet, NYC

Family ReunionsFamily ReunionsMurphy (Canada—United States)Murphy (Canada—United States)

- Sarah Ann Murphy left Perth, Lanark - Sarah Ann Murphy left Perth, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada, in 1872 or County, Ontario, Canada, in 1872 or 18731873 - She would now (1904) be about 46 - She would now (1904) be about 46 years oldyears old - She has dark hair and eyes, and is - She has dark hair and eyes, and is heavy-setheavy-set - She might be in Almonte, Ontario - She might be in Almonte, Ontario - Sought by: W. E. McGwigan of 305 - Sought by: W. E. McGwigan of 305 High Street, Salem, OregonHigh Street, Salem, Oregon

AdvertisementsAdvertisements

Public LedgerPublic Ledger (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)22 June 1842, page 322 June 1842, page 3

AdvertisementsAdvertisements

Military RecordsMilitary Records

Names and rankName of the campAgesInformation about

other family members serving in the military

IllnessNames and localities

of next of kinName of the funeral

Last Revolutionary War Pension granted in 1887 Last Revolutionary War Pension granted in 1887 NH Sentinel 10 Aug 1887NH Sentinel 10 Aug 1887

Last Revolutionary War Pension Last Revolutionary War Pension granted in 1887 granted in 1887

NH Sentinel 10 Aug 1887NH Sentinel 10 Aug 1887

FactsFactsMrs. Mary CaseyMrs. Mary Casey

of Washington, of Washington, Fayette County, OhioFayette County, Ohio

Husband: John Husband: John CaseyCasey

Served Rev War: Served Rev War: Virginia LineVirginia Line

Died 1845 – age 75Died 1845 – age 75(Born abt. 1770)(Born abt. 1770)

““A few years A few years prior..”prior..”

he married Mary he married Mary Cox, then a girl of Cox, then a girl of

Perry Republican (Perry, Oklahoma)26 July 1917, page 1

Trenton Evening Times (Trenton, New Jersey)25 May 1921, page 1

Barre Gazette (Barre, Massachusetts) 31 July 1840, page 2:

Passenger ListsPassenger Lists

The Shamrock – 17 August 1816

Biography & Photo/ImageBiography & Photo/Image

• Born April 26, 1826, in Lewisburg, Preble County, Ohio, the son of Samuel and Phebe (Willis) Freeman•Moved from Ohio to Illinois - nine years old•Homestead Act May 20, 1862, to take effect on January 1, 1863 •“Company H of the Seventeenth Illinois Volunteers” stationed in Nebraska during the Civil War• “ordered to return to St. Louis” not in town when the land record office opened on January 2, 1863—but the Recorder of Deeds, James Bedford, agreed to accommodate Freeman’s situation and made an exception: he administered the oath to Freeman at midnight the morning of January 1st so that Freeman could leave to report to St. Louis as ordered•Married the “girl next door”—Agnes Suiter (1843-1931)—and they built their lives together there in Brownsville, Nebraska

Biography & Photo/ImageBiography & Photo/Image

Probate & Legal NoticesProbate & Legal Notices

Probate & Legal NoticesProbate & Legal Notices Where: Cheshire County,

NH – Probate Court Administrator of case:

Warren H. Jennison, of Walpole, Cheshire County, NH

Deceased: John Jennison, Jr., died in Walpole

Estate: of John Jennison, Jr., “is not sufficient to pay the demands due from his Estate”

Mentions “widow”

Probate & Legal NoticesProbate & Legal Notices Property boundaries:

gives boundaries in all four directions

Property size: 100 acres Action: Warren H.

Jennison, administrator of the estate of John Jennison, Jr., on February 17, 1876, asks permission to sell John’s entire real estate holding to settle his affairs

Probate & Legal NoticesProbate & Legal Notices The heirs-at-law of the

before-named John Jennison, Jr.

Must appear at the probate court in Keene “on the third Friday of March next

17 March 1876

Commercial Advertiser

23 September 1828.

Idaho Statesman

15 July 1915

Social NotesSocial Notes

Practical Tips - Practical Tips -

Practical TipsPractical Tips

◦Try Surname Search FirstTry Surname Search First◦Add first nameAdd first name Add yearAdd year

◦Try abbreviationsTry abbreviations◦WilliamWilliam◦Wm.Wm.◦BillBill

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The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at

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Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the

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We have never had this level of access before

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