When Revolutionary War patriot George Shell died in 1818, newspapers in Maine, Massachusetts, and New York carried the news – but they each gave him a single-line obituary. However, Revolutionary War veteran George Shell deserved much more; the man fought two wars simultaneously, as detailed in this longer obituary found in another old newspaper.... (Read More)
I recently was researching a man from Oregon named Isaac Fernald (1814-1871), and found information related to him in a variety of places online. Isaac’s Death Reported in the News I began my search with GenealogyBank’s Historical Newspaper Archives, and I found Fernald’s obituary in his home town newspaper: the Portland Daily Press. I... (Read More)
Deemed an upstanding citizen by the Salem Gazette, two-time American war veteran John M’Donogh passed away, losing a long fight with disease on 19 March 1809. M’Donogh is noted for serving directly under a young General George Washington during the French & Indian War. M’Donogh fought during British General Braddock’s failed expedition in 1755... (Read More)
Gershom Beach, a blacksmith in Rutland, Vermont, was 77 when he passed away on 2 September 1805, according to his obituary. Born 24 September 1728 in Cheshire, Connecticut, Gershom Beach was credited as being one of the original settlers of Rutland, Vermont. Beach is most noted for his Paul Revere-style message delivery for Colonel... (Read More)
Martha F. Fenstermaker (1943-2014) recently passed away, and in her published obituary it mentioned that she was “a direct descendant of Samuel Augustus Maverick, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence.” Her obituary also states she was a member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Her ancestor’s last name “Maverick” is... (Read More)
Joseph Atwood Ordway (1852-1904) is a descendant of Mayflower passenger Thomas Rogers—and he thought so much of that genealogical fact, it was included in his obituary. This is a detailed obituary that gives us a lot of family history information about Joseph: His date and place of birth: 12 May 1852 in Boston, Suffolk,... (Read More)
Obituaries often celebrate lives well lived—but rarely with the enthusiasm this recent obituary does. His obituary states: “Sal measured out at 73 1/2 inches, and a bouncing 232 pounds, 9 ounces.” After reading a few lines from Salvatore’s obituary, you quickly realize that he was someone very special to many people. His newspaper obituary... (Read More)
I was reading this old newspaper and noticed that obituary after obituary was for young children. So many reports of very young children dying early deaths in this old newspaper article: Martha Banks, aged 1 year, 11 months and 2 days Arthur Lincoln Vaughan, aged 6 months and 12 days Caroline E. Hein, aged... (Read More)
I was born in New Hampshire and my family has lived there for the past 350+ years. I probably have a cousin in every town in the state. This is especially true in Sanbornton, New Hampshire—I don’t think I could throw a rock there in any direction and not hit a relative. So—I use... (Read More)
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