We all heard the stories of Jim Thorpe – the world’s greatest athlete – while we were growing up. The newspapers & movies regularly carried stories about him and he was even featured on a box of Wheaties. (photo – NC Museum of History). He loved to compete. He enjoyed the battle... (Read More)
Wild Bill Hickok – James Butler Hickok – was born on May 27, 1837 in Troy Grove, Illinois. Famous in movies, films and hundreds of newspaper articles – he is central to the legends of the Old West. Newspapers serialized his story and pictured him fighting bears, outlaws and Confederate agents. Images by Van... (Read More)
When Abraham Lincoln gave his stirring remarks at Gettysburg in 1863 word spread quickly across the nation. The San Francisco (CA) Daily Evening Bulletin of 18 Dec 1863 captured the impact of Lincoln’s words that still move us today. Newspapers report what happens every day giving each of us the emotion, context and impact... (Read More)
Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act on May 20, 1862. It would take effect on January 1, 1863. The first homesteader to take “the required oath and [be] given the documents which made him possessor of 160 acres of land” was Daniel Freeman (1826-1908). Daniel Freeman was born April 26, 1826 in Lewisburg, Preble... (Read More)
Newspapers have been announcing births since the 1700s. It is common to see birth notices in newspapers all across the country, like this one for triplets born to “Mrs. Rust of Wolfeboro, NH” in 1796. It appeared in the Massachusetts Mercury 14 Oct 1796. You’ll find millions of births recorded in newspapers on GenealogyBank... (Read More)
Family Bibles have been treasured by families for generations, but finding them today can be difficult. It was common for families to have a family Bible – a large bound book that was prominently displayed in the family parlor – “…a large octavo volume, with a more or less ornate binding, with blank... (Read More)
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... (Read More)
The first burial on the grounds of what would become Arlington National Cemetery was on 13 May 1864. Private William Christman was buried in the rose garden in front of General Robert E. Lee’s home in Arlington, Virginia. He was serving with Company G, 67th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. In May 1863 Secretary of War... (Read More)
There are a lot of anniversaries in May. In May 1863 the government organized the Freedman’s Village on the grounds of General Robert E. Lee’s home in Arlington, Virginia. It had “fourteen dwellings, and a church a hospital and a home of the aged and infirm, with streets regularly laid out and named, and... (Read More)
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