Finding family history in newspapers

As I have stated before in this blog, family history is more than just names and dates and places. Family history includes stories about our progenitors, helping us to know more about them.

Today, newspapers are a dying breed. Most newspapers are published online; people are more likely to get their news from cnn.com, and their social news from Facebook. Up until the 1960's or so, however, newspapers often contained social pages listing prominent citizens' comings and goings.

In searching old newspapers, I found some articles about my family.

This is my father's birth announcement:

My grandfather was killed in a terrible accident. My grandmother apparently sued the railroad for it. In 1918, $25,000 was the equivalent of about $500,000 today. She settled out of court several months later for a pittance (about $800, I believe). Even then, if she wanted any of the money she had to petition the courts and bring proof that the money was for the children.

A few days ago, my mother reminded me about her cousin, Evelyn, and a family tragedy. I searched online and, using a free trial of a paid database, found this story:

 

Another of mom's cousins described it this way:

 Our Aunt Ada Justina “Dude” Vetter McLees was fatally burned in a fire which was started by cleaning some clothes with gasoline.  She only lived a few hours because her burns were so severe.

Six weeks prior to our Aunt’s death, her husband, (our Uncle)  Russell Ellis McLees died when his truck was struck  at a railroad crossing.  Our cousin Evelyn Armintha McLees suffered fractures of both legs when her father’s truck was struck by a railroad train.  Evelyn was thrown out of the truck but caught the cow catcher and was dragged for nearly a mile before the train could stop.  Her father died in the accident. Just six weeks later, she watched in horror, as her mother was fatally burned in the gasoline fire. 

And my mother adds:

I did get to see Evelyn after the accidents.  I can’t remember who brought her to Everett.  She was still on crutches.  I did not really know any of my cousins because I was too young when we left Montana.  I did see a couple of other cousins once when they came to visit.

I wanted to mention that cleaning clothes with gasoline was a very common practice for years.  I looked up this video (about 10 min) called “More Dangerous than Dynamite” You should watch it if you have time.  Watch it clear to the end about the housewife in the video.  Just enter “More Dangerous than Dynamite” on your computer.  It was the first video I watched.  There are several more there too.

On the video is says that one gallon of gasoline or other flammable fluid used as a cleaning solvent has the explosive source of 83 lbs. of Dynamite.