Newspapers often published lists of unclaimed letters in the local post office. Think about what appearing on that list means about your ancestor: someone thought your ancestor lived in that location when they mailed the letter the person lived near enough that post office so that sending a letter there made sense Your ancestor could also have been dead by the time his name was published in the paper on the list of unclaimed letters. Appearing on the list is not hard evidence that he was alive on the publication date Your ancestor probably did live in that location when the letter was sent. But, if their name on that list is inconsistent with other known information, there could be a very plausible explanation.
Aunt Luella could eat doughnuts and Aunt Sarah could peel apples. Both of them placed in contests held at a 1923 church picnic in Breckenridge, Illinois. These anecdotal items can be interesting asides to learn about your relative or significant clues–depending upon what you don’t already know about your ancestor. And…don’t forget to read the entire item. This item was located by searching for Luella Barnett, but a thorough reading located a reference to my Aunt Sarah Rampley and my Uncle Herschel Neill (not shown–he won for tying shoes).
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