In many areas of the country, some of the most rich and important sources of information about family history appear in locally published newspapers. County, city, and even small community newspapers published by church or civic organizations can be important sources to learn not only about your family, but also about local, community, and regional history. Although they may not be the source you would normally turn to, newspapers can provide insights into the world our ancestors inhabited, including personal information not available through any other means. News articles in small publications give glimpses into the everyday life of our ancestors.

In the nineteenth century, many small towns had one or even two newspapers. Personal biographical information, as well as important events, were reported in these local papers. Births and deaths, which occurred prior to statewide reporting, were often announced in local papers.

However, while newspapers are a rich source of information, there are also pitfalls that can hinder your research if you are not careful. Information found in newspapers should be evaluated and verified by primary documents whenever possible. Newspaper biases, problems with timely reporting, and inaccurate data that can often be misleading are only a few issues a researcher must be aware of when researching newspapers. Here are a few ideas to remember that will help you evaluate and locate accurate information in newspapers.

Biases. Early newspapers were often established for political purposes. As a result, not all stories were covered, or the stories may have been altered slightly to meet the newspaper's political agenda. The researcher's response to this should be to look for newspapers in surrounding areas or a larger city in the vicinity in order to get a more accurate coverage.

Timing of Events. Since many of the local papers were printed weekly, stories were not necessarily published immediately. Some stories may not have even appeared because it was old news by the time the paper was printed. As a result of delays in reporting, it is wise to search for obituaries or local announcements several weeks after the date. Also, searches in the weeks preceding the death may yield stories that hint at the anticipated event. For example, reports of illnesses and visits by distant relatives may mean that the last visits prior to an anticipated death had begun.

Inaccuracies. Events hastily reported may be in error. Newspaper stories then and now contain inaccurate statements. For example, obituaries may not report all survivors or may incorrectly report their names and relationships. Dates may also be wrong.

Regional Searches. Many times, newspapers would cover stories about surrounding areas also. Therefore, if an article can not be located, or if there are no newspapers for the dates of interest, consult papers in nearby cities or counties.

Regional searches are often necessary to locate elderly or widowed parents who left their hometowns in their declining years to live with a grown son or daughter. Hometown papers may carry announcements of the deaths of their long-time residents even if they had moved away prior to their death.

Newspaper Content
Features and Ads. Local newspapers contain a wealth of information important to genealogists. Of course, newspapers will report vital events such as births, marriages, and deaths, but in addition to these, feature stories, editorials, political events, notices of sales, and want-ads may provide insight into the life and times of your family. Announcements regarding settlements of estate, or notices to make claims on estates prior to settlement can also appear in the newspapers. If the family farm had to be sold, it may have been advertised in the real estate section of the paper.

Obituaries.Many obituaries can be quite detailed. Some give the names of parents and siblings and dates of migration, along with major events in the person's life. One genealogical problem was solved by an obituary in a small town paper in the 1890s. It listed the maiden name, parents' names, and siblings of a recently deceased ninety-year-old woman. Since her parents' marriage certificate could not be located, the obituary was the only way the name of the woman's father could have been discovered. A will subsequently found in an adjoining county confirmed the parentage.

All information in a death announcement should be carefully evaluated for genealogical information. Pallbearers listed in obituaries are often sons, brothers, and sons-in-law. The funeral home and burial place should be noted. Armed with this information, additional information can be obtained.

Neighborhood Columns. Newsy neighborhood columns were common in many newspapers and they published wonderful glimpses into American life. While the style of these accounts may seem amusing today, the local columns provide intriguing and valuable insight into the everyday life in a community. Accounts of who visited whom and who bought what are reported in these columns. They should be studied for clues regarding family relationships and community activities.

Photographs. The community's photographic record preserved in newspapers also motivates our search of this source. Some newspapers are beginning to archive their photograph collections at local libraries. Even before photographs, other images have been preserved by newspapers. For example, an obituary appearing in a western Kentucky paper showed not only the usual information on the man's life, when he came to Kentucky, and family background, but also included a quarter-page ink sketch.

Newspaper Availability
Some states are fortunate to have old newspapers still in existence and readily accessible to researchers. (Check your local library for holdings.) As a result of the National Endowment, many of the largest collections of newspapers will be housed at a local university. The project is aimed at preserving all known newspapers in a central location.

A closer look at the Kentucky project will provide an idea of the extent of the project. The library at the University of Kentucky began microfilming papers in 1954 and, as a result, now has thousands of reels of Kentucky newspapers dating from 1788 to the present. The university continues to subscribe to newspapers in counties all over the state. The goal of the project is to locate, inventory, catalog, and preserve all Kentucky and out-of-state newspapers held in the state. Millions of pages have been filmed.

Kentucky also provides a list of newspapers on microfiche for all institutions or individuals who wish to purchase a copy. Approximately 14,000 newspaper titles have been identified with information including the dates and locations of each newspaper. Information from this project is available to libraries throughout the country via a computer library network and database known as OCLC. In addition, the University of Kentucky makes its microfilmed newspaper holdings available for out-of-state interlibrary loan. Check your local library for information on interlibrary loan and what might be available in your area. Access to old newspapers is an asset every genealogist should take advantage of.

Related Resources. Some states are also fortunate to have their newspapers indexed for more convenient access. An important source in Kentucky, for example, is Karen Green's index to the Kentucky Gazette, the first newspaper published in the state. The index includes references to all Kentuckians appearing in the paper along with a summary of the article. There is also a place name, subject, and every name index. Stories include coverage of elections, land disputes, lists of stray animals, dead letter lists, military lists, obituaries, and other events of early Kentucky life.

Newspaper publications are even adding an online version of their papers. Many include obituaries and can be searched for specific names. This will be an invaluable source in the future.

Conclusion
While searching old newspapers can be slow work, it can also be fun work. You will find yourself spending as much time reading news stories and old advertisements as you do looking for obituaries, and you will learn a great deal about your family and their community. The rewards can be very exciting and by simply remembering the important points described above, you will avoid the troubles that could occur as you use newspapers as genealogical research material.

U.S. Newspaper Program
http://www.neh.gov/preservation/usnp.html

Roseann Reinemuth Hogan holds a Ph.D. in sociology. She was raised in the Cincinnati-northern Kentucky area and has been researching her family since 1978. Her special interests include oral histories and social history. She is the author of Kentucky Ancestry (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1993).

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