October 1880 Snowstorm Began ‘The Snow Winter’

This photograph was taken in March 1881 of a train passing through snow-covered Minnesota in the worst snow season ever recorded there. The snow season started with a storm in October 1880 and it just kept on snowing until March of 1881. It was one of the Midwest’s worst-ever snow seasons, with multiple blizzards... (Read More)

Genealogy Tip: Search Surname & Year Only for More Results

I recently received an email from some GenealogyBank users, asking why they couldn’t find any newspaper articles about a tragic death that occurred in 1956: “We are having trouble finding information about a couple of deaths in our area. A couple, Wilbert Arvo Pernu and Dagmar Charlotte Bolborg Pernu, died by asphyxiation on 8... (Read More)

Genealogist Obituaries – genealogists in 11 states pass away

Genealogists in 11 states pass away. CT, MA, MI, MN, NH, OK, PA, TN, UT, WA, WV Bell, Frederick R. (1945-2009) Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA) – May 6, 2009 Brown, Robert Arthur. (1927-2009) Knoxville News Sentinel (TN) – May 6, 2009 Carrington, Hiram D., Jr. (1930-2009) Republican-American (Waterbury, CT) – May 5, 2009 Church, James.... (Read More)

Linda Fay Kaufman, genealogist, 1940-2009

Remembering one of our own: Linda Fay Kaufman, genealogist, 1940-2009 Enthusiastic genealogist Linda Fay Kaufman (1940-2009) has passed away. She put her family history research online and actively corresponded with genealogists across the country. A search of the genealogy lists shows her posts as recently as the last few months. Star Tribune: Newspaper of... (Read More)

Frank Baum 1856-1919 – Going Beyond the Obits

Lyman Frank Baum, the author of the many books about the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, was born today – May 15, 1856 – in Chittenango, Madison County, New York. When he died obituaries appeared in newspapers around the country like this obituary that appeared in the Duluth (MN) News Tribune (8 May 1919). It... (Read More)