I have bitten the bullet and jumped into the world of
online historic newspapers. Granted, I
have found bits and pieces of information here and there thanks to Google from
newspapers. However, I had never jumped
head first into the pool. Oh noes…. This
could be really bad.
This morning, while drinking my tea, I found an article telling about the car accident that ended my uncle's life on a rain soaked
road, at 18, in 1959. I have also found
articles on my grandfather when he was running for the Indiana State House of Representatives. Goodness knows what else I will find over the
next few days, weeks, or months!
It has been very fascinating to say the least. I have to admit I was a bit disgusted at the
49 cents per pound for a roast in the 1964 newspaper I was looking at. Mumble, grumble…..
Three Added to Death Toll
United Press International
Three more traffic fatalities, all of them on the
rain-drenched roads, sent the Indiana total moving steadily upward today as
another weekend opened.
Two of the accidents occurred after the weekend count
began at 6 p.m. Friday. The other occurred
a short time before the count began.
One of the victims was the son of an Indiana
Legislator. Another was killed trying to
miss a dog in the highway. The third was
an old man in dark clothing who wandered into a busy highway in the evening
gloom.
John Combs, 18, Washington, was killed early this morning
when his car skidded off U.S. 50, hit a culvert and rolled over near
Washington. Combs was the son of Paul E.
Combs (R-Washington). Charles Shake, 20,
Washington, who was riding with Combs, was taken to Daviess County Hospital
with a back fracture and other injuries.
George Beatty, 81, near Columbus, was killed Friday night
when he was hit by a car driven by Robert McKain, 35, Columbus, on U.S.
31. Authorities said he fell or stumbled
into the path of the car.
John Rue Mercer, 63, Indianapolis livestock buyer, was
killed late Friday when his car collided with another vehicle as he swerved to
miss a dog in U.S. 421 east of Whitestown.
State Police said the car skidded and struck a car driven
by Harold Duckworth, 37, Frankfort.
Mercer was thrown to the pavement and died at the scene. Duckworth was treated for a back injury at
Clinton County Hospital in Frankfort.
photo credit: ShironekoEuro via photopin cc
I am just about to jump into the world of online historic newspapers, to try dismantling my "brick wall." I thought I'd try blogging about my process in real time, even though I don't know where my search will lead (chancy!)
ReplyDeleteI also am a self-taught family historian. I admire your blog page, which is beautiful with all its sidebars. The article you found is so clear and succinct, yet it must have been hard to read this vivid description of your young uncle's death. Thank you for this post.
Mariann: Yes it was hard, luckily I had been told the details by my dad years before so I knew the fist. what I didn't realize is that it happened on a major road in thier town and my grandmother drove past the accident site almost every day for the ext 40 years.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words! Good luck with real time blogging. Mine is done between bites of ceral in the morning when my kids are getting ready for school!