Bartlett Library program shows how to find information on ancestors beyond obits

Thanks to presenter Jane Haldeman, Bartlett Library patrons were able to learn how to find the life of their ancestors in newspapers beyond birth announcements and obituaries.

The program began with a brief history of newspapers, and then Haldeman dove deeper into detail on what to look for when searching for information on ancestors. She explained that there are many clues within newspapers that are able to show who an ancestor was.

She said that starting with regional newspapers was a good start. What to look for includes: Having an idea of the specific date, location, surname, first name, keywords, etc. She mentioned that it is also important to look for events, ship information, politics, legal/court announcements, advertisements, lists, letters or memberships, to name a few. Haldeman shared that this information is crucial to understanding who ancestors were and what they believed in.

She then went through a myriad of examples of finding information on ancestors in newspapers based on the presented key items.

Some good resources to use when researching ancestry are libraries, online newspaper websites, archives, historical and genealogical societies and The Ancestor Hunt blog.

The program was then concluded with some Q & A.

The next Adult program at the Bartlett Library is "Create a Quote of Art: A Painting Workshop" on Saturday, April 2 at 2 p.m. Come join the Bartlett Library and create a "Quote of Art" in honor of the 400 year anniversary of Shakespeare's death. Christine Thornton will teach how to draw a decorative border around an inspirational Shakespeare quote, and then add color with watercolor pencils. Beginners are welcome. Registration is required.

For information and a complete listing of scheduled programs, call (630) 837.2855 or visit www.bartlettlibrary.org.