Thank You Libraries!

Were you aware that a lot of newspapers are available for FREE thanks to the local public library? While Chronicling America provides access to some of our nation’s newspapers for free, many public libraries are providing free access to their local newspapers.

I first became aware of this service when my local library, Seneca Free Library, digitized their collection of newspaper microfilm. These papers can be searched using a link on the library’s home page. When I first started working with the Seneca papers, I was aware that neighboring communities had also digitized their newspapers. However, I was not aware that a large number of libraries have done this.

That’s where Kenneth Marks and his Ancestor Hunt Newspaper Links is a must have tool in my genealogy toolbox. Using his site, I can search for a community to see whether their newspapers have been digitized. If so, his page links to the library’s site that I can use to search the paper.

As I was researching John Minnick of Kewanee, Illinois, I was very thankful that the Kewanee Public Library District provides this service and that Kenneth Marks’ index helped me find it. I was able to find an obituary for my 3rd great grandfather, John Minnick. This obituary was a great find since it provides a date of his first marriage along with a hint that his second wife had a prior marriage.

Kewanee Daily Star-Courier (Kewanee, Illinois)
kewanee.advantage-preservation.com
22 April 1903
page 1

Death of John Minnick
Pioneer Resident Passes Away Last Night

Death claimed another of Kewanee’s pioneer residents last night when at eleven o’clock John Minnick, aged 81 passed quietly away at his home 113 South Elm street. Death followed a stroke of paralysus sustained about a week ago and which rendered Mr. Minnick’s condition serious. Owing to his advanced age little could be done to alleviate his suffering.
For nearly half a century Mr Minnick was a resident of Kewanee. He was born in Carlyle, Penn., June 22d 1822 and came to Kewanee 47 years ago. October 28th, 1843 he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Jones of Carlyle, who passed to the other world July 20th , 1869. After coming to Illinois Mr Minnick became the husband of Mrs. Phoebe M Tripp who died November 1st 1870 in this city.
Mr Minnick was employed during the greater part of his residence in Kewanee as a shoemaker his place of business being on Tremont street. Five children are left to mourn his death, being as follows, Wilson J of Kewanee, Mrs. Emma Mentzer of Yates Center, Kan Mrs Ellen Frink of Shenandoah, Iowa who is in the city now, Miss Elizabeth Minnick of this city and Mrs Susan Halterman of Clarinda, Ia. Another daughter Mrs Anna Bell died some years ago near Clarinda.
Mr Minnick’s membership in the M E Church of this city dates back farther than that of any other member. He had ben an active worker in the church during his entire residence in Kewanee for many years acting as class leader. The funeral service will be conducted tomorrow afternoon at 2 30 o’clock at the M. E. Church, Rev. R A Brown being in charge There will be no service at the house The remains will be laid to rest in Pleasant View cemetery.

“Death of John Minnick,” Kewanee Daily Star-Courier (Kewanee, Illinois), 22 April 1903, page 1; Digital Images, Kewanee Public Library District (Advantage Preservation) (http://kewanee.advantage-preservation.com/ : viewed online 20 March 2022).

Not only did I find this very informative obituary but I found an 1860 newspaper ad for John Minnick’s store in Kewanee.