{"id":27577,"date":"2017-12-15T11:46:49","date_gmt":"2017-12-15T16:46:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=27577"},"modified":"2020-01-17T11:25:38","modified_gmt":"2020-01-17T16:25:38","slug":"genealogy-tip-find-family-bible-records-printed-in-newspapers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/genealogy-tip-find-family-bible-records-printed-in-newspapers.html","title":{"rendered":"Genealogy Tip: Find Family Bible Records Printed in Newspapers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/em><\/strong>: In this article, Mary Harrell-Sesniak writes about a source for finding family Bible records when the Bible is no longer in your possession: reports published in your ancestor\u2019s local newspaper. Mary is a genealogist, author and editor with a strong technology background.<\/em><\/p>\n

Many a genealogist laments the missing records from an old family Bible that is no longer in the family\u2019s possession. It would make the proofs so much easier. So, I ask you: what\u2019s the next best thing?<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: an old family Bible. Credit: Thomas Jay Kemp.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The answer may surprise you: it\u2019s finding family Bible records quoted in an old newspaper! Yes, records from family Bibles were sometimes printed in your ancestors\u2019 local newspapers, and it\u2019s worth taking the time to search for those old newspaper articles.<\/p>\n

Family Bible Record from 1799<\/strong><\/p>\n

This 1937 newspaper article discusses the last resting places of prominent citizens of Montgomery County, Maryland \u2013 and if you read closely, you learn details extracted from a 1799 family Bible!<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), 8 August 1937, page 48<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bible Records from 1837 Helped Tell This Strange Story<\/strong><\/p>\n

When the unusual occurred, the story generally showed up in old newspapers. Such was the case with John McGinty, who \u201cmarried three women who were grandmother, daughter and grand-daughter in their relationship of birth.\u201d<\/p>\n

In relating this tale, the newspaper\u2019s reporter in part relied upon the family Bible:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe record of the old Bible shows\u2026 that the two were wedded in 1837.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"An<\/a>
Fort Worth Gazette (Fort Worth, Texas), 19 April 1890, page 7<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bible Records Verify Oldest Man\u2019s Age<\/strong><\/p>\n

When Peter Brady passed away in 1891, he was the oldest resident of Jersey City: 101 years old.<\/p>\n

His family Bible recorded that he was born on 15 May 1790 in the parish of Tydavnet, county Monaghan, Ireland.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Boston Herald (Boston, Massachusetts), 14 September 1891, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bible Records Provide Proof of Nancy Davis\u2019 Birth<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nancy Davis passed away in January of 1896. The newspaper report notes that, according to the family Bible, she was born in Christian County, Kentucky, on 6 January 1795. She was the widow of Jesse Davis, a prominent farmer who moved to Pike County \u201cmore than half a century ago.\u201d (Search the last name origin of Davis<\/a>!)<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Evansville Courier and Press (Evansville, Indiana), 18 January 1896, page 1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Larger Family than Usual Recorded in Family Bible Records<\/strong><\/p>\n

When Chris Sundermeyer died in Illinois in 1910, 16 brothers attended the burial. The family was even larger than that \u2013 this newspaper article reports that: \u201cthe Sundermeyer family Bible shows three sons died in youth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Daily Illinois State Journal (Springfield, Illinois), 30 January 1910, page 6<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Family Bible Showed He Needed to Register for the Draft<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 1917, Robert Braden of Newberg thought that, at the age of 31, he was not required to register for the draft. Turns out he was a year younger than he thought and was, in fact, eligible for the draft. The proof of his birth was verified \u201cthrough records in a musty family Bible uncovered by investigations by Assistant United States District Attorney Goldstein.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the article notes:<\/p>\n

\u201cBraden registered willingly and said he was glad to find out his real age though he didn\u2019t feel any younger for the discovery.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"An<\/a>
Oregon Journal (Portland, Oregon), 30 August 1917, page 6<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bible Shows Ancestry of Warren G. Harding<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 1920, A. W. Sexton of East Hampton, Connecticut, was in possession of the Amos Clark family Bible, and this showed the ancestry of presidential candidate Warren G. Harding!<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Jackson News (Jackson, Michigan), 22 August 1920, page 12<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Comparing Family Bibles and Census Records<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the more likely places to discover family Bibles quoted is in newspaper genealogy columns, such as this article from Margaret Ross\u2019 column \u201cGrass Roots\u201d in 1982. It mentions that:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe widow may have remarried, as a family Bible shows her death in 1919, and I do not find her under the name Adcock in the 1900 census<\/a> for Arkansas, Louisiana or Texas.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"An<\/a>
Arkansas Gazette (Little Rock, Arkansas), 1 June 1982, page 21<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Your Family Bible<\/strong><\/p>\n

Who has your family Bible?<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget that only one person can inherit the family Bible \u2013 just as I did with the family Bible of one of my ancestors.<\/p>\n

It was the family of Mathias Fisher, a Revolutionary War patriot, who emigrated from Ireland with wife Rachel Hoowe and other family members. I shared it with other Fisher researchers. To see a scan, scroll down to the document section on the Fisher Genes website<\/a>. Note that I also included a copy of the title page, as many genealogists will not accept Bible records as sufficient proof or evidence without knowing about the publication.<\/p>\n

Are you in possession of an old family Bible? We\u2019d love to hear about it in the comments section below.<\/p>\n

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