BY SHELLIE TAYLOR
When conducting genealogy research, most people will tell you that the triad of vital records (birth, marriage and death) is the best way to find information about our ancestors. They’re certainly not wrong. These vital records provide important dates and connections to other people (i.e. parents, spouses, children, etc.). But many people, especially those new to the hobby, don’t realize how many gems of information can be found in the pages of old newspapers. There is an old adage that “today’s newspaper is tomorrow’s history,” and that could not be more accurate!
The most common item in which to find genealogical information is obituaries. The most basic obituaries typically include parents of the deceased, birth and death dates, children and grandchildren, and possibly other tidbits of information such as hobbies, church membership, and society affiliations.
Longer obituaries for more prominent community members, especially in older newspapers, can include a lot of additional information like brief family histories, political affiliations, and photographs. Obituaries are usually written by a close family member and can include errors, but so can official documents like death certificates and even headstones. Using obituaries for genealogical research is like using any other document; take it for what it is, but don’t be completely discouraged if you discover some incorrect information.
While obituaries are the most obvious resource from newspapers, many people are unaware that you can also find land records in the newspapers. When someone died, if their land was not left to someone in a will (or if the person who received the land wanted to sell it), advertisements were put in the local paper to announce auctions of property. Many times, the name of the deceased who owned the land will be mentioned along with the acreage and location. This can help you figure out where your ancestor lived, how much land they owned, and a potential timeframe to search land records for deeds.
The purpose of newspapers has changed greatly over time. When they first started, they weren’t intended just to report local news. Most papers were publishing stories, opinion columns, political discussions, and advertisements. By the mid-1800s, newspapers started to appeal to a wider reading audience which included women. Society pages became popular and included birth, engagement, and wedding announcements as well as society meetings and the comings and goings of community members. This only increased in popularity in the 1920s and 1930s when women’s clubs were popping up across the country. These society pages are filled will photos of young people (mostly women) during some of the highlights of life. They also include tiny tidbits (usually just a sentence or two) of local gossip or social gatherings. “Messrs. John and Fred Turner will come home tomorrow from Catawba College, Newton, for the Easter holidays” (The Mascot, 27 Mar 1902). That one sentence tells us that John and Fred (most likely brothers) attended Catawba College in Newton in 1902. There might be no other record of these boys going to school or where, except this one line tucked away in a newspaper; therefore making it a valuable thing to find for a Turner family researcher. “Mr. Bill Laws and Mf. W.N. Nicholson are in Portsmouth, Va. this week in connection with stained glass work at Central Methodist Church” (The County News, 30 Oct 1953). That’s an interesting statement which connects two individuals from the Iredell community to the stained-glass business. Did either of them play a role in the installment of stained glass in an Iredell church? For a researcher, it might be worth looking into! These are just two exciting examples of random information that can be found in newspapers.
During the years of World War II, America truly rallied around the young men who had been drafted to fight. Statesville was just one of many small towns across the nation that used the newspaper as a way to boost morale and encourage the families of those serving overseas in the war. Unfortunately, it was also a way to announce the loss of a hometown boy in Europe or the Pacific who died serving his country. The Mooresville Tribune was very active in putting photos and military information in their issues. Usually a photo was accompanied by the soldier’s name, the names of his parents, and his position, rank, and service branch. This can be incredibly valuable information for family historians tracing their heritage through World War II.
To celebrate National Newspaper Week (October 2-8) the library will be having a program to fully detail how to use newspapers in your genealogy research and what types of resources the library has available. The program will be on Thursday, October 6, at 6 p.m. Registration is required and can be done by visiting the library’s website.
Visit the Statesville Library to also view our month-long display about the history of newspapers in Iredell County and be sure to see the exhibit in the Local History Room of the Statesville Record & Landmark collection. When the newspaper office closed this year to publish remotely, the collection of photographs and documents came to the library along with a beautiful desk which had been used by one of the Landmark’s first editors, J.P. Caldwell (editor 1880-1892). A new art piece has recently been installed from the collection as well. These unique historical artifacts are available to view at the Statesville Library and we hope to see you there!
Shellie Taylor is the Local History Program Specialist at the Iredell County Public Library. She can be contacted at michelle.taylor@co.iredell.nc.us or (704) 878-3090, Ext. 8801.