What (or Who) Makes News?

We now live in a well documented society. For every story, both good and bad, there is a very good possibility that someone will capture the event as it happens. Some stories are pieced together from circumstantial evidence, but many times the clincher comes from DNA found at the scene (especially in criminal investigations). It is hard to imagine a time when we couldn't pull up a news story on demand. But, actually, it wasn't that long ago that people lived in relative anonymity, their lives a "closed book" to all-but the most tragic or scandalous events.

A short remove from the digital capabilities of our age, there were still intrepid news reporters who traveled to the site of disasters (sometimes a few days after the event) and attempted to record the event for readers around the country. Nothing proved more attractive than a tragedy (small or large) - readers didn't have Soap Operas or the Internet to distract them...

Even though many of the stories that resulted from media attention in an earlier age have not survived anywhere in modern parlance, some still exist in the archival records of libraries and online digital collections. Hidden amidst the vital statistics sections and major international news headlines, you can find gems of family history you might never have considered. During the past few years, I have located several relatives - some appearing as witnesses to crimes, some described by their neighbors (since they were too embarassed or humble) after the tragic death of a family member. If you are interested in pursuing potential stories of your family, here is a great example of a research methodology you can use.

Always remember: without intersections of our relatives' lives with documented history, family trees would be dull and only a mere skeleton of what they could be. Interviews, obituaries (and relevant news articles found in a similar way) or the lucky discovery of a biography of a relative, you might never know your ancestors. Peristence is the key to discovering additional ancedotes - happy hunting!