The Family Tree Historical Newspapers Guide

Book excerpt: There are more historical newspaper resources than you think--and they're easier to access than you know. When researched properly, no other type of record can beat historical newspapers in "taking the pulse" of their times and places, recording not just the names, but also information important to the community. This comprehensive how-to guide will show you how to harvest the "social media" of centuries past to learn about your ancestors and the times and places they lived in. With step-by-step examples, case studies, templates, worksheets, and screenshots, this book shows you what you can find in online (and offline) historical newspapers, from city dailies to weekly community papers to foreign-language gazetteers. The Family Tree Historical Newspapers Guide features: • Tips and techniques for finding crucial genealogy records in newspapers, such as birth announcements, obituaries, and even news reports • Step-by-step guides for using popular online newspaper databases such as GenealogyBank and Newspapers.com • Case studies that will put information found in newspapers to use