The essentially missing 1890 US census creates a significant record gap for researchers. One way to potentially bridge that gap is to take a deep dive into newspaper records during the 1880-1900 time period for the ancestor in question. While newspapers are not a true substitute for the census (both records have different goals), newspapers can shed light on some family mysteries during this time period.
Newspapers can document moves, relationships, vital events and more in your ancestor’s life. They do not provide that one-moment-in-time snapshot of your ancestor’s life, but they can shed some light on your person. Newspapers also may not reference everyone who ever lived in an area–as the census is intended to do–but they do (particularly in rural areas) mention a high proportion of the population.
Thanks to LSP on our Genealogy Tip of the Day Group Page for this suggestion.
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