States (Washington (DC), District of Columbia) Newspaper Archives (1857 - 1859)

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Samuel A Rainey opens new livery
Samuel Rainey & J. C. Cook dissolve partnership of the company under the name S. A. Rainy & Co. Sam'l taken his old stand known as "Washington Stables" adjoining Dorsey & Cook on 8th street, conduct general Livery & Sale Stable business. THE STATES. Wednesday, May 27, 1857 , Washington (DC), DC, Page: 3
States
Washington (DC), District of Columbia
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srainey74
Clipped 23 days ago

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Patnership dissolved
Samuel Rainey & J. C. Cook dissolve partnership of the company under the name S. A. Rainy & Co. the above business will be carried on by J.C. Cook & Allen Dorsey, under the name and firm of Dorsey & Cook THE STATES. Wednesday, May 27, 1857 , Washington (DC), DC, Page: 3
States
Washington (DC), District of Columbia
...

srainey74
Clipped 23 days ago

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withdraw support for mayoral candidate
saml & John Rainey, Francis Brandner & James McColgan withdrawl their names in support of Robert Wallach
States
Washington (DC), District of Columbia
...

srainey74
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Mayor nomination
brothers: john rainey, samuel rainey, b-i-l married Eliza & Catharine Rainey, sisters of john & samuel; francis brandner, james mccolgan
States
Washington (DC), District of Columbia
...

srainey74
Clipped 23 days ago

States Archive Search in Washington (DC), District of Columbia

Local newspapers are a vast source of information for family historians. If you're interested in uncovering your family history, looking through the States archive in Washington (DC), District of Columbia can yield incredible results.

With historical records often being incomplete or difficult to find, uncovering those elusive ancestors can be challenging. States historic newspapers are a valuable font of information.

The GenealogyBank archives contain thousands of newspaper issues across the decades. With more than 330 years of history, you can fill in the gaps in your knowledge and find the newspaper entries related to your family within Washington (DC), District of Columbia.

Just some of the reasons to begin searching through States historical data include:

  • Uncover your family history.
  • Find long-forgotten ancestors.
  • Discover the riveting stories of family members who came before you.

At GenealogyBank, 95% of our newspapers can only be found through our platform. It’s one of the most comprehensive archive of States historic online newspapers anywhere in the U.S.

Using our search feature, you can access the entire States database in a matter of seconds.

The Value of States Historical Data

Before the Internet came along, the primary vehicle for disseminating the comings and goings of any community was the newspaper. With the States archive, you can climb through a window into the past.

Whether you’re looking for marriage announcements, death notices, obituaries, or feature stories about your ancestors, these archives can form a considerable part of any family history project.

So why else are these archives so valuable?

They add color to the stories of your family’s past. Official government records tend to provide the basic facts and nothing more. Newspapers tell the story of figures in the community and give you a personal account of how your ancestors lived and what they did.

Furthermore, States historic newspapers may reveal through their announcements some of the relatives you didn’t know about.

Countless GenealogyBank users have discovered family members they’d never heard of through searching the States database.

The historical data you uncover could form the foundation for additional research and further discovery.

How to Search the States Database

At GenealogyBank, we make the process of sifting through States historic online newspapers simple. It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking into your family history for the first time or whether you’re an experienced researcher.

Select your desired newspaper collection and enter the last name of the relative for which you are researching. Press the “Search” button, and you’ll receive a list of relevant records bearing your relative’s name.

Of course, this is the most basic search of States historic newspapers you can make. You also need to know how to narrow down your results to ensure you have the right person.

Tens of thousands of Americans share the same name, so you need to be extremely careful not to make any mistakes.

Here’s a step-by-step guide for performing an advanced search of Washington (DC) historic newspapers.

  • Step One - Include the first, last, and any middle names of a specific relative.
  • Step Two - Add in some keywords, such as the name of the town they lived in or the school they attended.
  • Step Three - If you need to further narrow down your results, consider excluding certain keywords, such as those of nearby towns and schools.
  • Step Four - Add in a year range to further hone in on a specific ancestor. This doesn’t have to be exact.
  • Step Five - Take advantage of filters to order results by best match, oldest, and newest. This can help you cut through any close match entries that don’t match the men and women within your family tree.

Tips for a Successful States Archive Search

When dealing with common names, it can be difficult to find the right person amidst 330 years of U.S. history. Thankfully, there are multiple ways in which you can avoid adding people to your family tree who have no relation to you.

The problem lies within the way records were taken before modern recordkeeping standards were introduced. A newspaper editor likely recorded information from oral sources; therefore, they may have misspelled a name or made a blatant factual error.

Here are some more advanced tips for making sure you find the right ancestors via States historical data:

  • Search for a relative by their initials. It was common practice for people to be recorded officially by the initials of their first and middle names.
  • Female relatives were often recorded via their husband’s name. Rather than searching for a female ancestor’s name, try searching for their husband’s name instead.
  • Use common misspellings. One wrong initial could mean you miss that forgotten family member.

It can be time-consuming but incredibly exciting to come across family members you’d never heard of before.

The States archive can add some color to the names. Discover your story. Be amazed at what you find.