Records can tell you when your ancestors were born, who their parents were, and what they did for work. But what were your ancestors like? What did they do during their free time? What kind of legacy did they leave behind?
There might be nobody left to ask. But that does not mean finding out what your ancestors were like is impossible.
Newspaper obituaries were the fastest way to spread news before the internet. Many people read the paper daily, so they were almost sure to see an obituary within 24 hours. Detailed obituraries date back to the early 1800s. If any of your ancestors died within the last century, their obituary might be in the archives.
- Pictures of your ancestors.
Obituaries vary in detail. Some even included pictures! The Portland Press Herald published this obituary for my 4th-great-grandmother in 1935. None of us knew what she looked like since she died long before any surviving family was born. Now, we have a picture!
- Your ancestors’ secrets.
Another example revealed something that made me smile. My 4th-great-grandfather, George C. Mountfort, was a grocer by day. By night, he was a member of seven secret organizations when he died in 1899.
- Long-lost family dramas.
When doing research for a close friend, an obituary sparked a genealogical manhunt. It said my friend’s great-grandmother was “raised by her grandmother.” But, the obituary listed no biological parents. Could we figure out what happened to them? (We did!)
- Impressive accomplishments!
Another obituary says my great-great-grandfather was South Portland’s first democratic mayor!
- My favorite: Your ancestor’s personality.
My favorite excerpts are when you see how your ancestor affected the community. Their personality. Like this, one of my favorites from 2004. I learned that my great-grandmother could play the piano by ear. She embroidered the tablecloths we used to eat on during Thanksgiving!
My great-grandmother was 97 when she died. Her obituary quotes my grandmother (her daughter) saying, “‘She had seen an awful lot, an awful lot. She’s gone from sleighs to automobiles.’”
Even though they mark melancholy occasions, obituaries can bring joy to genealogical research. What is out there about your family? You can find out from your living room with online newspaper databases. Duke has a subscription to Ancestry’s newspapers.com database, where I research. I recommend it!
Jack Palmer has done genealogy research since he was ten years old and loves writing about it for family, friends, and anybody else who might enjoy research stories and advice. He graduated from Duke University in May 2023, majoring in History and Psychology, and is the author of Helen & Frank: A Biography, a biography about his great-grandparents.
