How to use newspapers for ancestry and genealogy research.
As a historical writer, I have found community or hometown newspapers valuable resources in learning about my family. The articles of hometown newspapers cover every aspect of life and provide insights that are rarely passed on or even remembered. Topics will range from births and deaths to travel, and social gatherings report. Be sure to search all listings of newspapers since it’s not uncommon to find more than one local newspaper.
Using Newspapers in History and Genealogy
Table of Contents
- How Researches Use the Newspaper
- Newspapers as a Historical Family Resource
- Finding Newspaper Articles
- Online Newspapers
- Planning the Newspaper Search
- Example of Newspaper Projects
- Types of Articles Found in Newspapers
- Additional Articles on BeginMyStory.com
Like every resource, information found in the newspapers should be evaluated and verified by primary documents where necessary. Some of the problems you will find with newspapers include the following three:
Reporter or Contributor bias
Depending on the view of the reporter, political affiliation, or other opinion or bias, specific events may not have been covered or may have been viewed in light of a particular “agenda.” When searching newspapers, make sure you look in other regional newspapers to see how the same events may have been reported differently.
Timeliness of reporting
Many hometown papers were printed weekly. For example, if a story happens the morning the paper is published, chances are it will be printed the following week. Depending on the timeliness or available space in the paper, the article could be delayed a couple of weeks. Sometimes the event became old news and was deemed unworthy of publication.
Inaccurate data
Every newspaper had deadlines, making accuracy problematic. Reporters sought as much information as possible before articles went to print; unfortunately, details were sometimes missed, such as information about relationships in an obituary. Dates published in newspapers can also prove unreliable, which comes down to human error.
Hometown newspapers keep the community in touch with one another. My mother always received a weekly newspaper from her hometown, which helped her keep in touch with her roots. Once in a while, there was a story about our family—yes, our family! Even though we didn’t live in the city, the city was interested in its “residents” and “family” far and wide. My point is that, even if your family lived outside targeted areas but were originally from the vicinity, it is always worth your time to search the newspaper for family-related news. Always check newspapers from nearby communities to compare reported events. It is not uncommon to find different obituaries about the same person containing slightly different information. The difference in data is often related to newer details made available at the publication deadline.
How Researches Use the Newspaper
Also see the video: Strategies for Historical Research in Newspapers-Part 2
Historical researchers commonly look in newspapers for news about births, deaths, and marriages. But that is just the beginning of what you can find. Newspapers provide details and clues to historical happenings: local and family news, religious notes, advertisements, probate, court, real estate, biographies, photographs, and so much more. The following are a few examples of how newspapers are used:
Features and ads
Genealogists peruse feature stories, editorials, political events, notices of sales, and want-ads to establish criteria about the life and times of your family. You will find announcements regarding estate settlements or notices to make claims on estates before settlement. Advertisements can show the type of goods and services a family purchased and engaged in.
Obituaries
Most of the obituaries found in hometown papers will be detailed, providing parents, siblings, and extended family names. Information such as time of immigration or place of birth is standard. The pre-1900 obituaries are often the only records of extended family and relationships. Look for more than one announcement about a family member’s death. On one occasion, I found up to four accounts of a person’s death in different newspapers extending over a four- to six-week period.
Neighborhood columns
Many hometown newspapers had a neighborhood column, which covered topics such as who had what social gathering, who took a trip, or news about an event. Look for names associated with your family. You may be able to contact descendants of those mentioned in news articles to find information and photos related to your family.
Photographs
Newspapers have one-of-a-kind photographs and images of events and individuals. It’s not uncommon to find photos of obituaries from the late 1800s and early 1900s the only family images available. When events such as parades and community activities took place, the newspaper is likely the only source where you can find images depicting what those occasions were like.
Local, regional, and national news
Local newspapers are not limited to local news, and many of these papers also included regional, state, and national news relevant to the period.
Newspaper availability
Many states have taken the opportunity to microfilm newspapers. These microfilms are often located in local, regional, and state public libraries, historical societies, and archives. Many university collections will hold complete collections of all newspapers in the state. If you cannot get to a place where you have access to these films, you will be able to (in most cases) acquire access through interlibrary loan programs. You will need to touch base with the source library and your local library to make arrangements. Note: Ensure that your local library has the necessary equipment to view the microfilm. You can also expect a nominal fee for the film.
Digitized collections
More and more newspaper collections are being indexed and digitally put online every day. Make sure you check to see what collections have been digitized and where they are located. Many local newspapers are now online, starting from the late 1990s. However, the information available is limited to the period they have been online.
Suppose you are fortunate enough to find a historical newspaper collection that has been digitized. In that case, it will usually be indexed, allowing you to search by name, keyword, newspaper title, date, or location. Most of the indexing on digital collections is performed via advanced Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, which automatically recognizes text within an image. The extent to which the newspaper is indexed depends on the quality of the image. If an image has quality limitations, the index search results will not be as accurate. For this reason, you may find some results for images that do not contain the exact word for which you searched.
Check for special projects
As part of your search for newspapers, check with the local library and historical or genealogical society to see if there has been an “obituary project” (where individuals have gone through the local papers to identify the names and dates of obituaries) and if so, where they are located.
Newspapers as a Historical Family Resource
Newspapers are considered to be the journal of local communities and their inhabitants. Newspapers are an untapped resource for genealogists and can help you with the following:
- Write more in-depth, fact-based family histories.
- Conduct broader yet more focused genealogical research.
- Find possible clues to individuals you are researching.
- Understand the times and community in which individuals lived.
While newspapers are essential for genealogists, understand their limitations (such as inaccuracies and biased reporting). Use sound judgment and evaluate the information against that provided by other genealogical sources. Newspapers range in size from a few pages to over fifty pages. As you choose to use newspaper items as evidence to support genealogical conclusions, carefully record
Finding Newspaper Articles
Below I’ve listed some of the most common places to find newspapers.
Local newspaper offices will usually have one or more copies of each edition that are bound. However, these documents are often difficult to search (fragile, faded, missing issues, out of order, articles cut out—sometimes cutting parts of the article you seek). Using files from the local newspaper office for your research often requires using a camera (digital or film) to capture the article since photocopies might not be allowed. You are often given limited time to search and a poor-quality area to do your search.
Universities and libraries will often have newspaper microfilm images organized by year, date, and page. These microfilms are cataloged and easily stored. You can order films or request them through an interlibrary loan. Universities often provide equipment for copies or scans of microfilm. Scans and photocopies can include lines/scratches in the film, and photos vary in quality. Cost ranges from free use of equipment to a nominal charge per page or scan. When using microfilm records of newspapers, it is easy to pick up where you left off. The films usually include papers of the state, county, and region.
Another benefit of using microfilm from a university or library is searching multiple papers during your research session, and you are also expanding your search as needed.
Historical and genealogical societies usually have newspaper resources for their immediate area or will know where such resources are maintained.
U.S. state archives and libraries serve as depositories for microfilms of newspapers from across the state.
Digital online collections are constantly growing. Millions of pages were added each month for newspapers before 1998. These collections provide the ability to search keywords and download digital images. Examples of online collections include the following sites:
- Utah Digital Newspapers (University of Utah) http://www.lib.utah.edu/digital/unews/
- Library of Congress (9,000-plus U.S. newspapers and 25,000-plus non-U.S. newspapers) http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/
- United States Newspaper Program http://www.neh.gov/projects/ndnp.html
Examples of possible search words include the following:
- “Digital newspaper”
- State you are searching, in quotes (“Colorado” or “New York”).
- The community you are searching, in quotes (“Seattle” or “Denver” or “Nashville,” for example).
Online Newspapers
Many papers have been online since the late 1990s. Most national, state and regional newspapers are online, and some local papers may be affiliated with larger newspaper agencies.
Look for the newspaper website’s archive section and search by keyword. After locating the information you’re looking for, you will be able to save data to your hard drive, print the page, or capture the screen using on-screen imaging software.
Planning the Newspaper Search
When planning a newspaper search, it is important to consider the following:
Understand the scope of your search
Consider what your search will include: a specific individual? A direct line? A collateral line? Some combination of any of the above? Are you simply looking for obituaries, or are you looking for all articles related to the family? What do you know about the individuals you seek?
Learn as much about the persons you are going to search for
You will better understand possible topics to search for associated with individuals and families. For example, when I was researching the life of my wife’s grandfather, I learned that he was an avid reader and helped at the community library. In the local newspaper, I found a series of articles associated with his leadership in organizing the community to build the library. At the time, the information didn’t mean much to me, but it was influential in raising my level of awareness. Some of the sources from which you can gather information include:
- Verbal discussions with family, friends, and acquaintances.
- Written histories.
- Photos.
- Grave inscriptions.
- Official records (e.g., birth & death certificates, court records).
- Printed records (e.g., awards, news articles, newsletters).
- Correspondence (e.g., notes, letters, postcards).
- Recorded interviews (e.g., tape, video).
- News reports (e.g., T.V., radio, newspaper, Internet).
The better the search possibilities, the more information you can find.
Articles in the newspaper are written about every conceivable topic.
Information can include but is not limited to
- Places lived and periods.
- Birth, marriage, death dates of individuals in your search.
- Names of family, siblings, and married (including key dates).
- Elementary, middle school or junior high, high school, college (including their interests and activities during school years, such as sports, piano, dance, or club membership).
- Awards, contests, or promotions (in religious, school, military, or club groups).
- Profession.
- Places worked.
- Hobbies and interests.
- Dramatic events (serious illness, wreck, shutting down of plant).
- Important local, regional, and national events (depression, war).
- Favorite holidays or family traditions.
- Favorite places to visit.
- Names of influential friends and family.
- Military service.
- Organizations of affiliation.
- Church/religious affiliation and service.
- Organize what you know by date/ period, and place.
Example of Newspaper Projects
One project comprised the collection of obituaries of my direct lines (four generations, including their siblings and spouses). Another project entailed writing life histories of direct lines (including articles of siblings and families as found). In both of these projects, local newspapers proved to be very helpful in finding the information I sought.
Example 1: As I researched newspapers, I tracked an individual named Victor from 1910 until his death at age eighty-eight. Newspaper finds it depicted his service in WW1, run for community office, service to the Icelandic community, church service, business life, community organizations, and personal profiles. I gathered a total of thirty articles that included snippets of his life, thoughts, and interests; people he was involved with that were essential to him; thoughts that others had about him; as well as photos at different stages of his life.
Example 2: I followed one of James’s high school and college sports career from 1948 through 1952—a total of thirty-eight articles in various local newspapers.
Return to Using Newspaper in History and Genealogy Table of Contents
Types of Articles Found in Newspapers
The following is a list of the types of articles you will find in the newspaper that you can use for historical research and narratives.
Obituary or death listing
Information about an event, such as a death, can range from a small mention to volumes about the individual. Before 1940, there were usually two or more accounts of persons passing: a death notice, a life sketch or obituary, and a record of funeral services. The information was printed within one to three weeks of the person’s death in a local or regional newspaper. It was not uncommon to be on the front page with an article extending to another page. Local and regional papers can vary (providing more information about the person). Articles were free publication and did not usually include a photo. Look for a unique headline announcing a person’s death.
After 1940, there were usually two or fewer accounts of death (a death notice and a life sketch or obituary). The articles did not require a fee to be published until about 1960. You will notice that local and regional papers were standardized to include the exact details, and information was located in a newspaper’s “deaths” or “obituary” section.
After 1960, death notices or obituaries usually included a photo.
Obituaries and death listings can provide place names; places of birth; places where the individual lived during their lifetime; places of death; places where children of deceased lived; places where most relatives lived.
| Obituaries | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Death notice and place of the funeral
This information is usually written and given to the newspaper by the funeral home. You may find the date of burial, place of funeral service, place of internment or burial, and name of the funeral home.
| Death Notices | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| No | Yes | No | No | |
Life sketch or obituary
The life sketch is written and placed by the family, funeral home, reporter, or a combination of those people. You may find a photo (sometimes more than one); date and place of birth; date and place of death; information about parents, spouses, or children; place of residence; occupation; professional organizations they belonged to; church affiliation and service; military service; hobbies and interests; significant accomplishments; funeral home; and cause of death.
| Life Sketches | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
Return to Using Newspaper in History and Genealogy Table of Contents
Funeral proceeding or program
The program is written and placed by the family, funeral home, reporter, or a combination of those people. You may find church affiliation and service; the name of pastor or church leaders; names of friends and family; pallbearers; topics of speeches; and songs sung.
| Funeral Proceedings | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| No | No | Yes | No | |
Birth or christening announcement
These types of articles were not expected before 1900, and they are usually listed one to three weeks after birth and include the parents’ names and the sex of the child.
Wedding announcement
These articles were not standard before 1940. After 1940, you can expect to find announcements of brides to be married, including a photo of the bride and limited information about the groom and family. Look in the society pages for wedding announcements. They are usually listed within eight weeks before the marriage, but I have found them listed as much as six months—or even longer—before the wedding. The article usually exists for first marriages only. During the 1960s, wedding announcements in newspapers started including photos of couples rather than only of the bride. Different newspapers may have different photos of the bride or couple, so check a few local newspapers.
| Wedding Announcement | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Wedding vows
These articles are not expected before 1940. Articles about wedding vows range from a brief mention of the license to the ceremony and reception details, and they often include a photo of the couple. Look in the society pages one to eight weeks after the marriage for wedding vow articles.
| Wedding Vows | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Wedding anniversary (25th, 50th). These articles are not expected before 1940. After 1940, they include an announcement of the couple, some life details, and a couple’s photo. Look in society pages about six weeks before or after the marriage date. Information can include the place of celebration, date of the open house, and so forth.
| Wedding Anniversary | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Birthday announcement or open house
These articles are not expected before 1940. After 1940, you begin to see announcements for one-year-olds, including photos and the parents’ names. You also begin to see announcements for open houses for individuals sixty-five years old (or older) and include a photo, a short bio, and the open-house location.
| Birth Announcements | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| Yes | Yes | No | No | |
| Open Houses | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| No | Yes | Yes | No | |
Society news and local gossip
Up through 1940, these articles were a common occurrence and were usually only a few lines long. The article usually includes names and relationships. Community residents would submit tidbits of interest such as travel, birthdays, parties or gatherings, illness, job promotion, and visitors.
| Local Gossip | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | No | |
Public announcements and advertisements
Public announcement articles provide listings of property sold at public sales—usually livestock, farm equipment, and personal property. The advertisements are related to personal or company services, insolvent debtors, forced land or sheriff’s sales, runaway slaves, and missing relatives.
| Advertisements | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Period advertisements
Look for articles about proprietors of local stores to find out more about the period. The ads include goods used, period styles, cost of goods, and prevailing themes from ad slogans or writings.
| Advertisements | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Business and community service
These articles are usually pressed announcements from businesses and organizations covering community involvement and committees and action groups that invite community involvement. Articles can include meeting announcements, organization highlights, community programs and events plans, economic contributions to the community, and award ceremonies.
| Business Community | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Legal notices
These articles can include judicial actions, land sales for payment of taxes, divorce proceedings, settlement of estates, and which parties are involved.
| Legal Action | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| No | No | Yes | No | |
Unclaimed mail lists
These articles were usually found before 1900, and they are listed infrequently. Relatives usually send information to the destination of the family. Helpful in identifying individuals and families who pulled up roots before receiving their mail.
| Unclaimed Mail Lists | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Church-related articles
These are usually located on the front page of small paper but can be located on society pages. The articles were used as filler, so sometimes they can be included anywhere.
| Church Related | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| No | Yes | Yes | No | |
Military-related news
Usually found on front pages, society pages, or obituary pages. You will find articles relating to increased tensions appear up to one year before the war and other war-related news up to one year after the war. The type of articles you will see during the war can include lists of soldiers from the community; enlistment rolls; names of those wounded, missing, or killed in action; training completion announcements; assignment changes; awards, commendations, or medals earned; community drives for the war effort; letters sent home; gatherings of war veterans; and homecomings. Articles can include photos, drawings, diagrams, and maps.
| Military Related | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
United States war periods in which you will find a volume of newspaper articles increased:
| American Revolution (1775-1783) | Intervention in Lebanon (1982-1984) |
| War of 1812 (1812-1815) | U.S. Invasion of Grenada (1983) |
| Mexican-American War (1846-1848) | “Desert Storm” in Persian Gulf (1991) |
| Civil War (1861-1865) | “No Fly Zone” Iraq (1991-2003) |
| Utah’s Blackhawk War (Tensions: 1847-1865, (War: 1865-1873) | U.S. Intervention in Somalia (1992-1994) |
| Spanish-American War (1898) | NATO Intervention in Bosnia “Operation Deliberate Force” (1994-1995) |
| WW I (1917-1918: American involvement only) | U.S. Occupation of Haiti (1994) |
| WW II (1941-1945: American involvement only) | Terrorist acts including World Trade Center (September 11, 2001) |
| Korean War (1850-1853) | Afghanistan War “Operation Enduring Freedom” (2001-present) |
| Vietnam War (1962-1975) | “Operation Iraqi Freedom” in the Persian Gulf (2003-present) |
School news and activities
The type of articles includes honor rolls; graduation ceremonies; class projects and programs; contest participants and winners; local and regional competitions, such as sports, clubs, band, and choir; class and club officers; school events (sports, drama, clubs); awards given to students and teachers; school board minutes; school board appointments; and new teachers. Articles often included photos, a list of children and their names, and a description of the events.
| School Activities | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Correspondents
Small towns near communities with newspapers often had correspondents who were part-time reporters for their area. There was no timetable as to the frequency of a correspondent’s reports. Correspondents often wrote for a few papers (maybe for hometown and a regional paper). They usually were not trained journalists but had some writing skills. The news they reported ranged from gossip and happenings to front-page stories.
| Correspondents | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Letters to the editor
These articles were a mixture of ideas or themes for which individuals were passionate on a local, regional, national, or international level. Letters to the editor may have included thoughts about articles that had been written, personal issues an individual wished to sound off about, a public thank you or apology, “Tattle-tale” reports of happenings, and many other topics.
| Letters-to-the-Editor | ||||
| Printed Before 1940 | Printed After 1940 | Photos | Location | Full Names |
| Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Birth Dates | Event Dates | Personal Data | Family Ties | |
| No | Yes | Yes | No | |
Articles supporting the life story
Use the newspaper to find newspaper articles that can support, explain, or expand the stories of individuals and families. This has been an essential feature of newspapers for me. For example, the following table shows how newspaper findings have supported the facts that I already had about some families:
| Fact: Family member died of black widow bite. | Article: Story in the local paper about dangers of black widow bites. |
| Fact: Family members fought in Utah Blackhawk Wars. | Articles: Ten-week series on Blackhawk Wars in Utah. |
| Fact: A family member was a cattle rancher. | Article: Story about cattle ranching in Utah. |
| Fact: Family picked sugar beets during the depression. | Article: Importance of sugar beet industry in Utah County. |
| Fact: Some family members settled in Beaver, others in Spanish Fork, and so forth. | Articles: Travel logs of cities (reports by correspondents in Deseret News before 1890). |
| Fact: Family members involved in Icelandic community. | Article: Icelanders settling in Utah. |
| Fact: Family members worked at Geneva and Ironton. | Article: Construction of Geneva Steel during that family members lived there. |
Hometown and local newspapers can provide much helpful information to supplement—or further—your genealogy research. This is one valuable resource that should not be overlooked.
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- QuickStart Beginners Guide to Ancestry Research
- Introduction to Ancestry Research and Historical Records
- 4 Easy Steps to Google American Ancestry
- Preparing to Easily Google Ancestor Records
- How to Get Great Google Search Results in Ancestry Research
- 9 Advanced Google Search Strategies to Trace Ancestors
- What It’s Like to Start Ancestry Research
