Documents

1929 Missouri Road Map

I recently came across this little folding Missouri Road Map. Inside someone has written “1929-1930″, and since it has Highway 40 on it (which was built in the ’20s), there’s a good chance that the date is correct. Cover of the 1929 Map of Missouri

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1909 Obituary of William Wyatt Whitlow

William Wyatt Whitlow died on February 11, 1909 of blood poisoning. The text of his obituary reads “W. W. Whitlow, of Harvel, who was taken to the hospital in Litchfield some time ago, suffering with blood poisoning, died there last Thursday. He was about 70 years of age and is well known here.” 1909 obituary of William Wyatt Whitlow

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Double Celebration for the W.J. Cochran family

Here is a short article that may be of interest to those researching the Cochran or Harrison families. It was printed in 1927 and references the marriage of Mattie Callaway Harrison to W.J. Cochran in 1890. Although the Cochran family is well documented (due to W.J.’s successful construction business in Boonville, Missouri) it’s alway nice to have extra evidence.

Philadelphia Marriage announcements for May 8th, 1914

Below is the list of marriage licenses issued printed in the Philadelphia Inquirer on May 8th, 1914.

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The Philadelphia Inquirer: May 8th, 1914

Newspapers are one of the best resources for tracking down ancestors – the oldest newspapers you can find will probably have obituaries and may even list marriages as well. Even if you can’t find the person you’re looking for, you’ll still be able to get a feel for the time period and learn about what was going on in the area.

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The 1926 University of Missouri Savitar

I recently bought a copy of the 1926 University of Missouri yearbook (The Savitar) to find photos of some ancestors. Below are a few photos.

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Louisiana Birth & Death Records

A note from the Louisiana Secretary of State I recently sent off for several Louisiana records and have just received a very clear response that explains what records are available to researchers. The note reads: In 1918 the Louisiana Legislature mandated the registering of births and deaths occuring in the state. Even though it was a state law, unless a person was born or died in a hospital, it was the family’s responsibility to file the birth or death certificate. In the early 1950’s, the funeral homes took over filing the death certificates. Before 1952 it is not unusual for there to be NO state death certificate on file. Your only recorse is to check for obituaries, coroner, probate or church records in the parish where the death occured. This note came from the office of the Secretary of State of Louisiana.

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Stock Certificate: Aurora Automatic Machinery Company

I recently came across a stock certificate for the Aurora Automatic Machinery Company, which manufactured motorcycles at the turn of the century. The date on the certificate is 1907.