Sue Ellen -- yes newspapers are one of the greatest and especially in our ancestors times <grin> -- every little tidbit is "published". My grandfather stated he left home in 1889 at age 14 when his mother died and never went back until 1932 when his father died. Well, lo and behold, going through some old Jennings County newspapers and in 1898 was an item that "Romie Waughtel was visiting relatives in this area" (grandfather's name was Rome). I now type up the 1880 & the 1890 newspaper "tidbits" for the Jennings County List lady for her input onto the page. What better way to find the names connected to my Waughtel name in that general area especially. Antoinette waughtel@oz.net Sue Ellen Ash wrote: > Hi all, > Know I have talked about this before, but with my summer of great finds I > wanted to mention it again for all the newcomers. Get out there and find > those local newspapers of your ancestors areas. Take time to read them, and > study the papers. It is very time consuming YES! But the rewards are > greater. This summer I had little free time to research and I spent it > reading the old papers. I even found the notices of building the first > roads in Butler county KS area. It had to be published in the local paper > to be voted upon. > Then I found my great great grandfather had ran for county commissioner and > won the vote. So I went backwards to the beginning of the notices of the > upcoming elections, and followed through to the end of his time in office. > It was great. He is praised, by those supporting him. He is bashed by those > "again him", much like today. One group says he is "Ringed into office" > another said "HOG WASH." After he left office he is praised by all and > wished a happy life. Not much different than today right? > Then he became associated with the Wichita Stockyards as a stock > commissioner, and there is Big ad in paper about that. The Wichita paper > tells a story of one day the railroad gang pulled a joke on him, by > switching cars and sending him to another village, when he was going to > downtown Wichita on a stock car. They say B.H. didnt find it as funny as > they did, when he ended up 30 miles away and had to wait for next train > south. > > Would you want to miss out on such stories of your ancestor? Find those old > newspapers. They are wonderful! > > Sue Ellen > > "Life is what happens while you are making other plans"