In the 19 January 1973 issue of the Galesburg Register-Mail a request is made for information on missing graduates of the 1923 class of Galesburg High School. One of the names is Pearl Trask.
The Ancestry.com database entry for this Pearl Trask indicates that this means that Pearl Trask lived in Galesburg on the date of the newspaper. While it is possible she lived in Galesburg in 1973, what is certain is that the reference is indicating that a Pearl Trask graduated from Galesburg High School in 1923. It is possible she lived in Galesburg in 1973, but somewhat doubtful given the size of the town and the fact that the upcoming reunion was from a Galesburg High School class.
Always check the original and make certain the interpretation is supported by the evidence.
3 Responses
I don’t understand why you don’t think “Pearl Trask” is the same person on both these dates. What does the size of the town have to do with it? My parents lived in the same town from birth to death. If I find someone with the same name living somewhere else, I know it’s not them.
Hi Toni,
I think Michael was referring to the fact that if it is a small town and she still lived there; they would know where she was. I came from small town and small graduating class and the ones that are in the area are easy to find and contact. We have a few missing from our class too,
The newspaper entry from 1973 indicated that the Pearl Trask who graduated from Galesburg High School in 1923 could not be located.
Ancestry.com indicated that the newspaper reference meant that Pearl Trask was living in Galesburg in 1973. That’s not what the newspaper reference says at all. It says that the Pearl Trask who graduated in 1923 could not be located by her classmates in 1973. The newspaper account from 1973 says nothing about where Pearl lived in 1973—just that she could not be located.
The relatively small size of the town to me suggests that the Pearl Trask who graduated in 1923 from Galesburg High School was not living in Galesburg in 1973 as there would have been a reasonable chance one of her classmates would have been aware of her residence there.