As I write this, I’m also preparing for a two-week trip to Vermont and Maryland. I’m truly fortunate to have made four close friends when I went to SUNY Geneseo. I’ll be spending time with two of them over these two weeks. I won’t miss my blog posts for the #52 Ancestors Challenge, and a few more that are not part of the challenge!

This week, the topic is “In the News”. Newspaper articles figured prominently when I first started researching my family history. The town historian I met at my then local library was generous in sharing what he had about my family. These gems included my grandparents’ wedding announcement, obituaries for my grandfather’s sixteen-year-old brother and for my great-grandparents, and the military service of my grandfather’s first cousin, a first lieutenant who served with the Women’s Army Corps during WWII. It moved my research forward quickly and sparked my curiosity even more.

I’ve been doing more research in newspaper archives recently as part of client research. It’s fascinating how you can tell so much by reading old newspaper articles. There are times when people seem surprised by how candid people are today about their personal lives, posting it online. Reading old newspapers sometimes is like that. The information may feel raw with its honesty. I think of the article about my 2x great-uncle, found confused and wandering in a field after having a stroke. A judge remanded him to a psychiatric center. The reporter did a follow up with him when he was released. The main difference, from my perception, between then and now is the immediacy of the news, not necessarily what and how it’s being told.

My client is looking for specific information on a great-grandparent. The couple, originally from Canada, moved and married in the United States. There was an event which caused them to separate. The movements of the wife and children are easily traceable through the social column in the newspaper.

I no longer receive a paper newspaper. Getting the news online is not the same. I miss the physical paper, particularly the Sunday edition. I skipped over the comics, and would read the front page, the local section (with the obituaries), sports, and last, the classified and sales ads. But the positive is the availability to easily obtain current news, as well as all the papers that have been digitized.

And as for my client’s great-grandfather?  Well, no sign of him-yet. I’m sure he exists in one of these newspapers, whether here in the US or in Canada. I’ll find him!