{"id":10496,"date":"2015-05-08T11:50:59","date_gmt":"2015-05-08T15:50:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=10496"},"modified":"2021-04-21T11:22:45","modified_gmt":"2021-04-21T15:22:45","slug":"oh-mother-where-art-thou-how-to-find-females-in-newspapers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/oh-mother-where-art-thou-how-to-find-females-in-newspapers.html","title":{"rendered":"Oh Mother Where Art Thou? How to Find Females in Newspapers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/em><\/strong>: Gena Philibert-Ortega is a genealogist and author of the book \u201cFrom the Family Kitchen.<\/span>\u201d In this blog article, Gena provides search tips to find your often-elusive female ancestors in old newspapers.<\/em><\/p>\n

How do you find stories about your mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and other female ancestors in the newspaper? Sometimes that can be easier said than done, but here are a few tips to help you search for those elusive female ancestors.<\/p>\n

What Types of News Articles Feature Women?<\/strong><\/p>\n

While the digitization of newspapers provides us the luxury of finding newspaper articles we weren\u2019t specifically looking for, knowing what type of articles feature women can make it easier to focus your searches. It\u2019s hard to imagine all the different types of articles a mother could be mentioned in, but reading copies of your ancestor\u2019s local newspaper can be helpful. A few types of news articles to consider include the following.<\/p>\n

Food & Recipe Newspaper Articles<\/strong><\/p>\n

What\u2019s the best thing your mom cooks? Do you have memories of grandma\u2019s homemade pies at Thanksgiving? Don\u2019t forget that she could have been featured in the pages of the food section of the newspaper for her culinary prowess. Recipe contests sponsored by the newspaper or food companies, requests for recipes, or sharing a favorite recipe were all occasions for women to be published in the local newspaper.<\/p>\n

For example, this article from a 1951 Texas newspaper about a pear recipe contest includes the names and addresses of the female judges and the winners. Even three-year-old Peggy Womack, who accompanied her mother to judge the entries, is mentioned.<\/p>\n

\"article<\/a>
Dallas Morning News (Dallas, Texas), 9 March 1951, page 22<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Genealogy Tip:<\/em><\/strong> Remember that women may be mentioned using their husband\u2019s name so don\u2019t forget to try searching for her as Mrs. John Smith or Mrs. J. A. Smith.<\/p>\n

Women\u2019s Interest Pages<\/strong><\/p>\n

Women\u2019s Interest pages printed all types of articles about women\u2019s activities including causes they supported and clubs they were a member of. You can find mentions of events and articles that report on meetings at members\u2019 homes, complete with an address.<\/p>\n

Such is the case on this Clubs page from a 1926 Washington newspaper, which includes mentions of the WCTU (Women\u2019s Christian Temperance Union), sororities, fraternal auxiliaries like Order of the Eastern Star, and Soroptimists. Awards women won, their names, addresses and even two photos can be found on this page.<\/p>\n

\"women's<\/a>
Seattle Daily Times (Seattle, Washington), 22 August 1926, page 60<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our female ancestors enjoyed club activities and membership in varied organizations. Identify membership organizations in the area your ancestor lived that she may have been a member of. Remember that she could have belonged to a group that believed in a cause she was passionate about (WCTU or League of Women Voters), was part of her church (Dorcas Society or Relief Society), or an auxiliary to an organization where her husband was a member (Women\u2019s Relief Corp, Order of the Eastern Star).<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no doubt that being a mom and wife could get you in the paper as well. Whether it was for the birth of a baby, celebrating a wedding anniversary, attending a family reunion or even traveling with a child, your ancestress could be mentioned.<\/p>\n

Great information about one family can be found in this report in a 1905 Idaho newspaper of the reunion attended in Texas by Mrs. J. F. Shellworth of Boise, Idaho. There are many names and much descendant information presented in this old newspaper article.<\/p>\n

\"article<\/a>
Idaho Statesman (Boise, Idaho), 18 August 1905, page 6<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I have to admit my favorite part is the last paragraph that states:<\/p>\n

Of this large family there is nor has been no stain on their moral characters, nor have any of them been arraigned before a court of justice as far back as the family history records.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"article<\/a>
Idaho Statesman (Boise, Idaho), 18 August 1905, page 6<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gossip & Social Columns<\/strong><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget that gossip, social or \u201caround town\u201d articles provide opportunities for piecing together your female ancestor\u2019s life. These short mentions often tell of the everyday activities she participated in like going shopping, traveling or even becoming ill.<\/p>\n

For example, in this section of a 1904 Michigan newspaper entitled \u201cNews of Michigan Towns,\u201d women are listed partaking in such activities as attending funerals, moving, attending club meetings, teaching, entertaining and in one instance passing away from a lengthy battle with consumption (TB):<\/p>\n

Auburn, May 4.\u2014Miss Lillie Miller, who has been suffering for the last six months with consumption, passed away April 30. Burial took place Monday morning at Midland. Miss Miller was with her parents during most of her sickness and death.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"social<\/a>
Saginaw News (Saginaw, Michigan), 4 May 1904, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s All in the Name<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have discovered that often when I wasn\u2019t able to find something in a digitized newspaper it was because I wasn\u2019t searching my ancestor\u2019s name the way the newspaper printed it. It\u2019s always when I think the name can\u2019t possibly be printed as Miss Philibert or M. B. Philibert that I\u2019m proven wrong.<\/p>\n

Genealogy Tip:<\/em><\/strong> Create a list of variations of your ancestor\u2019s name and then add various spellings and misspellings to that list.<\/p>\n

Keep a list of those name variations handy, and on that list have two parts. In the first part, write out all the variations of the name she could have used throughout her life. Such a list for one of my paternal great-grandmothers looks like this:<\/p>\n