News from Marion

Have you ever wished there was an index to the newspapers in your ancestors’ county, so you could look up references to those ancestors without wading through endless pages of long-forgotten local information? And yet, isn’t part of the fun of genealogical research getting sidetracked with little discoveries about the daily routine and concerns of life long ago or being caught up in the gossip and scandal that once shocked a community? This book was born out of these opposing impulses. The author took the newspapers from Marion County, cut out all the political writings, news from far-off places, and repetitive advertising; and then, created an every name index of what was left. Researchers can find the names they need quickly and easily, while those interested in Marion history or American culture still have the relevant and interesting parts of the newspaper to browse through. Ms. Moore has tried to retain the original flavor of the newspapers she culled by keeping spelling and grammatical corrections to a minimum. She purposely did not change any names, even if she thought they were misspelled. In addition to any information relevant to genealogical and historical research, Ms. Moore has included some of the poetry, jokes, and moral lecturing, which reveal the optimistic tone of some editors and the carping, baiting tone of others. Formatted to look like a newspaper, the book is in three columns, with headlines and datelines for every article.