{"id":2851,"date":"2013-02-11T18:19:25","date_gmt":"2013-02-11T18:19:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=2851"},"modified":"2021-10-21T12:39:18","modified_gmt":"2021-10-21T16:39:18","slug":"understanding-terms-found-in-historical-newspapers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/understanding-terms-found-in-historical-newspapers.html","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Terms Found in Historical Newspapers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/em><\/strong>: Mary Harrell-Sesniak is a genealogist, author and editor with a strong technology background. In this guest blog post, Mary explains some of the unusual or archaic terms often found in historical newspapers, and provides examples from period newspapers.<\/em><\/p>\n

When I first started searching historical newspapers to help with my family history research, certain terms that I found in old papers confused me.<\/p>\n

In the beginning, I found myself wondering: what was a \u201crelict\u201d or a \u201cconsort,\u201d and why were there so many references to \u201cinst.\u201d or \u201cinstant,\u201d and \u201cult.\u201d or \u201cultimo\u201d? It took some time to sort all these terms out, and I found various genealogical dictionaries useful.<\/p>\n

Knowing that some of you may be having the same confusion about this terminology, I\u2019d like to share some examples and definitions of the more commonly-found terms in old newspapers, with some insight on genealogical clues that these terms may provide.<\/p>\n

MEANINGS OF GENERAL NEWSPAPER TERMS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Communicated (often abbreviated Com.):<\/strong> When reading old newspapers, you may spot the word communicated or its abbreviation, com. It can occur at the beginning of an article, or more typically it will be abbreviated at the end of the article, and indicates that the item was written by someone other than a staff writer, and \u201ccommunicated\u201d to the newspaper for publication. A notice at the beginning of the newspaper article will often look like this:<\/p>\n

\"the<\/a><\/p>\n

Whenever you see the term communicated or its abbreviation com., look for additional articles in other newspapers. You never know if the first article you found is complete\u2014often it has been edited from the original, and if you find that original article it may contain more family history information than the edited version of the article you found.<\/p>\n

Here is an example where the abbreviation com. has been inserted at the end of the newspaper article. Note also that this example has a \u201cRequest to Insert,\u201d explained next.<\/p>\n

\"the<\/a>
Newburyport Herald (Newburyport, Massachusetts), 7 August 1838, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Requests to Insert:<\/strong> An often overlooked clue in old newspapers is a request for printers to republish a notice in other locations. Generally, this indicates that a person or family once resided elsewhere, or has a familial or business connection outside of the published location, and therefore readers in that additional location will have an interest in news about the individual or family. This is a great clue to steer your family history searches to locations you might not have considered otherwise.<\/p>\n

Mastheads:<\/strong> Typically located at the top of the front page, the masthead is the printed matter consisting of the name of the newspaper, along with details of its publication (date, location, etc.).<\/p>\n

Here is an example of a masthead from a New Hampshire newspaper:<\/p>\n

\"masthead,<\/a>
New-Hampshire Patriot (Concord, New Hampshire), 20 January 1823, page 1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When saving important proofs for genealogical purposes, it is advisable to review the masthead. You may also learn something interesting, such as that Isaac Hill, printer of the New-Hampshire Patriot & State Gazette,<\/em> was also a publisher of the \u201cLaws of the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n

DEFINITIONS OF RELATIONSHIP REFERENCE TERMS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Banns or Bans (or Publishing of the Banns):<\/strong> This is an ancient matrimonial term, originating from the Middle Ages. A Banns proclamation was typically published on three consecutive Sundays prior to a wedding. The requirement was abolished by the Roman Catholic Church in 1983, but is still used in some parts of the world. Original Banns certificates are rare, but you may be able to locate a few in some archives.<\/p>\n

In this 20th century newspaper notice, the entire announcement is about a couple\u2019s wedding banns:<\/p>\n

\"Voellinger-Ehrstein<\/a>
Belleville News Democrat (Belleville, Illinois), 28 March 1921, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In this 19th century newspaper article, we see an amusing story about how important the banns requirement was:<\/p>\n

\"amusing<\/a>
Daily Advertiser (New York, New York), 22 August 1807, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Because he had no proof the banns had been \u201cregularly published\u201d as required, the Minister postponed the wedding until the following day. However, the groom would not be deterred! He pulled off his hat, handed it to his bride-to-be, and took off running at \u201cfull speed.\u201d He returned \u201cin exactly two hours and thirty-five minutes, to the great joy of the betrothed damsel\u201d with the requisite proof that the banns had indeed been published\u2014whereupon the Minister performed the ceremony!<\/p>\n

Consort:<\/strong> A consort is a partner, and in the case of a death, a female who leaves a surviving spouse. An easy way to remember the term consort is to think of a marriage as a \u201cconsortium\u201d between a husband and wife. A corresponding term is relict (see the next entry), along with spinster or bachelor, for persons who remain single.<\/p>\n

In this example from an 1802 newspaper announcing Eleanor Harris\u2019s death, she is described as the \u201cconsort\u201d of Thomas Harris. Note the representation of the \u201cs\u201d as an \u201cf,\u201d common in 18th and early 19th century newspapers, so that \u201cconsort\u201d actually reads \u201cconfort.\u201d Also note that her death date is reported as \u201cthe 8th instant\u201d (again, with the \u201cs\u201d spelled with an \u201cf\u201d so that it actually reads \u201cinftant\u201d). I\u2019ll explain what \u201cinstant\u201d means shortly.<\/p>\n

\"Eleanor<\/a>
Republican (Baltimore, Maryland), 22 February 1802, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Relict (relictus):<\/strong> Relictus is a Latin term meaning having inherited or been bequeathed. Ergo, the relict is the survivor (usually a widow) of the marriage union.<\/p>\n

The first sentence of this 1907 newspaper article reads: \u201cMrs. Prudence Hale, relict of the late Marshall Hale, died early yesterday morning at the home of her son…\u201d It is lamentable that the typesetter misspelled her late husband\u2019s name as Marshall \u201cHall\u201d in the headline.<\/p>\n

\"Noble<\/a>
San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, California), 21 January 1907, page 1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

DEFINITONS OF TIME FRAME TERMS IN NEWSPAPERS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rather than print a specific date, old newspapers sometimes refer to a date by using terms such as instant, proximo and ultimo. Occasionally they do this for religious reasons, which I\u2019ll explain shortly.<\/p>\n

Instant (often abbreviated inst.):<\/strong> This term refers to a recent occurrence in the present or current month. In the consort example above, Eleanor Harris\u2019s death date is reported as \u201cthe 8th instant.\u201d Since her death notice was published on 22 February 1802, this means she died on 8 February 1802.<\/p>\n

Proximo (often abbreviated prox.):<\/strong> Proximo refers to something that will occur in the future, or next month, as seen in this advertisement for the British armed ship Louisa<\/em>, which was scheduled to sail on the \u201c20th proximo.\u201d Since this announcement was published on 27 February 1800, this means the Louisa<\/em> will sail on 20 March 1800.<\/p>\n

\"shipping<\/a>
Georgia Gazette (Savannah, Georgia), 27 February 1800, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ultimo (often abbreviated ult.):<\/strong> Ultimo or Ultimo Mense is a Latin term\/phrase that refers to an occurrence from last month.<\/p>\n

For example, in one old newspaper death notice Lt. Elliott\u2019s death was specified as December 6, and in another (published in January), his death was reported as having occurred on \u201cthe 6th ult,\u201d which is another way of saying December 6.<\/p>\n

Boston Courier<\/em> (Boston, Massachusetts), 23 December 1841, page 4:<\/p>\n