This post is part of a series for the April Blogging from A to Z April Blogging Challenge. My theme is Newspaper Clippings in relation to my family history. These have come from both microfilmed and digitized newspapers I've searched over the past 25 years. Click to enlarge any clipping.
Birth announcements are common in newspapers now and sometimes can be found in old papers. I really expected to find one for my Grandma and her twin brother in 1920, but it didn't make the local paper. I do have recent birth announcements, but I won't post those of my living family members here.
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| Tobias [NE] Times, May 16, 1941 |
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| Beatrice [NE] Daily Sun, September 9, 1922 |
Another Second Great Grandmother Henrietta Gaisford had more than one birthday party written up in the paper over time. Her 74th here is from the Beatrice Daily Sun, September 9, 1922. It might come close to mentioning her entire family - even those who didn't make it.
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| Beatrice [NE] Daily Sun, January 29, 1948 |
Henrietta's daughter Maime was honored on her 78th birthday. Maime never married and always lived with her parents or other family. I have not been able to learn much about her yet. For her 78th birthday, she was surprised by many female members of her family and friends. She lived to be 89 years old.
Business
News about my ancestors business affairs that I find in newspapers is always interesting. I found this in online newspapers at the Illinois Digital Newspapers site. James Gaisford was a weaver, so he and his son opening a factory to make rugs makes sense.
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| Weekly Pantagraph, [McLean Co., IL] November 11, 1904 |
My Great Grandfather Cicero Bell started mercantile businesses a couple different times, and then would quit and return to farming. Here in 1906 he buys a Blue Grass farm in a different county from where I ever knew him to live. I wish the article mentioned the name of the store he left. The second clipping below doesn't mention him, but he also had an interest in the Conoco Service Station that my Grandpa and his brother ran in 1934.
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| Aurora [NE] News-Register, October 12, 1934 |
Birth announcements are very common on social media like Facebook and Instagram, often with photos. First photos of new babies are so sweet. These announcements can be saved by taking a screenshot or copying/pasting them into your personal family history records. Remember copyright issues and don't repost them to online trees.
I have other articles about Bible study groups and Baptisms among my relatives. With many of my ancestors being farmers, I might someday find an article about an ancestors barn raising or a barn dance. You can build your knowledge of your ancestors by burrowing through old newspapers. What other "B" words come to mind? Good luck with your search!
I have no birthday announcements but plenty of who visited whom for the weekend and one recovery from a tonsillectomy.
ReplyDeleteI love small town papers.
DeleteHow very special to have these announcements..especially for the 100th birthday and others that list so many family members attending. Interesting about the weavers opening a carpet shop. I'm a floor loom hand weaver and sell them in my small shop, but can't imagine making enough to stock a carpet store...hopefully they had industrial machines. My mother saved my birth announcement clipping...very special to have that along with cards from 1947....Wow!
ReplyDeleteSue at CollectInTexas Gal
I couldn't find more about their carpet business. James died five years later, so I don't know how long it was open. Thanks Sue!
DeleteI dont thi k my family has and birth announcements- this is fascinating
ReplyDeleteThank you Lynn. I hope someday you CAN find some birth announcements.
DeleteWow... you've found some awesome announcements. I look forward to more.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jeanne. It really helps finding these things when the papers have been digitized.
Deletemy mum was mentioned in her local paper as a child dozens of times so it was fun to see things like when she spent easter with her grandparents, visited so and so, etc. like the facebook of yesteryear :)
ReplyDeleteJoy at The Joyous Living
It is fun, isn't it! "Seeing" them as they were when they were little in a way. It doesn't have to say much to enjoy the clipping. Thanks Joy
DeleteWhat a great theme and an interesting approach rather than concentrating on clippings by surnames. I’ll be following with interest especially for those difficult letters later in the alphabet. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you and thank you for the Genealogists list you created. I've used it a lot!
DeleteI am still trying to figure out what other letter A's you could have done. This is such a great way to do the Challenge. I love the social events describing the dresses. And lists of who attended parties. Helps with the FANs research.
ReplyDeleteGood, I've got you thinking! Yes, these clippings really help with FAN research. Especially a collection of them over time. Thanks for following.
DeleteYou've been very lucky in finding those birthday announcements. I love newspaper archives but sadly have never found a birthday announcement, My clippings are more likely to be court appearances...
ReplyDeleteWithout digitized papers I would not have known those were there. Maybe you will find one someday! Thanks for reading.
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