Today I wanted to give you an example of what could be found in local newspapers to help with your research. A local paper in a small town gives more information on its residents than that of a large city. I chose gravestone photos taken in Fairview Cemetery in Bowling Green, Warren County, and checked The Park City Daily News of Bowling Green for information on the family. Lon B. Sandidge and wife Dorah Perkins are our examples. The newspaper articles are in chronological order.
Our first find was notification of the death of son C. C., who lived in California.
Friday, December 4, 1925
L. B. Sandidge received a telegram Tuesday announcing the death, Monday at San Diego, California, of his son, C. C. Sandidge, following an operation performed Sunday. The body will be brought here for burial.
1933 was a bad year for the Sandidge family. The family home was destroyed by fire in March and Lon Sandidge dies on Christmas day.
Saturday, March 18, 1933
Lon Sandidge Home at Green Castle Is Destroyed by Fire
The home of Lon Sandidge at Greencastle, this county, was destroyed by fire Thursday afternoon and most of the furniture was lost in the blaze. The loss is partly covered by insurance.
Mr. Sandidge, who is seriously ill, was rescued from the burning dwelling by his grandson, Wallace Whorley. He was brought to the home of his son, Alver Sandidge, on Oliver Avenue in this city. His condition is reported to be unimproved.
Mrs. Sandidge is at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Hugh Thomas, near Greenwood.
Origin of the blaze is unknown but it is thought the fire may have been started by a mouse gnawing on a match.
Thursday, December 14, 1933
Mrs. C. H. Perkins has returned after spending a few days with her brother, Lon Sandidge, at Bowling Green, who is ill.
Tuesday, December 26, 1933
Lon Sandidge, 57, Expires at Home in Local Suburbs
Retired Farmer Passes Away at Home in Forest Park
Lon B. Sandidge, 57, prominent retired farmer who for the past year has been residing in Forest Park, died at his home Monday Morning at 1:30 o’clock following a long illness. Mr. Sandidge had been suffering with heart trouble for several years.
Funeral services were held this morning at 10 o’clock at the chapel of the Eugene Gerard Company on College Street with burial following in Fairview Cemetery. The services were in charge of the Rev. R. H. Garrison and Elder B. F. Taylor. A quartet from the Twelfth Street Church of Christ assisted in the services by singing two numbers.
The pallbearers were Arthur Sandidge, Alver Sandidge, Wallace Worley, Willis Harris, Lloyd Harris, Albert Sandidge, Guy Grubbs and Gurthey Sandidge.
Mr. Sandidge had been a resident in Forest Park about a year. He was born May 1, 1866, in the Richardsville neighborhood where he resided for many years before moving to the Halls Chapel vicinity.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Dora Perkins Sandidge; two sons, Arthur and Alva Sandidge, and three daughters, Mrs. Carrie Harris, Mrs. Clyde Lawrence and Mrs. Zetta Thomas, and several grandchildren. He leaves many other relatives in the city and county, among them being Professors H. H. and T. C. Cherry of this city.
Mr. Sandidge was a faithful member of the Riverside Christian Church for many years.
Probate of will names wife, children and one grandchild.
Monday, January 22, 1934
Sandidge Will Put Up for Probate in Court Here Today
The will of Lon B. Sandidge, prominent Warren County farmer who died recently at his home in Forest Park, was probated this morning in Warren County Court.
Mr. Sandidge named the Bowling Green Trust Company as executor of the estate and directed that the executor operate the farm and maintain a $3,000 trust fund for the benefit of his wife during her life time. At her death, the farm and fund are to revert to the estate.
He directed that the remainder of the estate be divided between his five children and one grandson, Arthur F. Sandidge, Mrs. Carrie Harris, Mrs. Clyde Lawrence, Alver Sandidge and Mrs. Zetta Thomas and the grandson, Harold Sandidge. The fund for the grandson is to be held in trust until he is 16 years of age.
Monday, January 23, 1939
Mrs. Sandidge Is Critically Ill
Mrs. L. B. Sandidge, mother of Mrs. Hugh Thomas of the Smallhouse Road, was reported critically ill with pneumonia today at her home in the Knob Church neighborhood. Mrs. Thomas is at her bedside.
Dorah Perkins Sandidge dies in April 1940.
Wednesday, April 10, 1940
Mrs. Sandidge Dies in Simpson
Succumbs At Home of Daughter After Short Illness
Mrs. Isadorah Perkins Sandidge, widow of L. B. Sandidge, died this morning at 4:30 o’clock at the home of a daughter, Mrs. J. E. Harris, on the Franklin-Morgantown Road in Simpson County. She had been ill about three weeks.
Mrs. Sandidge was born October 17, 1855, in Warren County, daughter of the late Price and Elizabeth Price Perkins. She married Mr. Sandidge at Rockfield, February 17, 1879. He died December 25, 1933, at his home in Forest Park.
Surviving are two other daughters, Mrs. Clyde Lawrence of Forest Park and Mrs. Hugh Thomas, 1370 High Street; two sons, Arthur Sandidge of Richardsville and Alva Sandidge of Fort Myers, Florida; 13 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Mr. and Mrs. Sandridge moved to Forest Park after their home in the Halls Chapel neighborhood was destroyed by fire. Mrs. Sandidge had been residing with her daughter since the death of her husband.
She was a member of Riverside Christian Church.
Funeral services tentatively have been set for 2 o’clock tomorrow afternoon at the Harris residence, with burial in Fairview Cemetery. The services are in charge of the Rev. Dewitt Milliken, pastor of the Lewisburg Methodist Church, and Elder E. P. Watson, pastor of the Twelfth Street Church of Christ of this city.
In the event that Alva Sandidge, the son residing in Fort Myers, Florida, is able to attend the funeral and burial, the services will be postponed until 2 o’clock Friday afternoon.
Family property is up for auction after the deaths of Lon and Dorah Sandidge.
Wednesday, July 24, 1940
2 Auction Sales
Thursday, July 25th
1st Sale – 10 A. M.
139-acre farm known as Lon B. Sandidge homeplace, located 9 miles northwest of Bowling Green, 1 mile east of Main Street Pike on gravel road, and 1 mile of Brown’s Lock.
This good farm contains approximately 139 acres, more or less, and will be sold by the boundary. There is approximately 20 acres of good first bottom and 10 acres of second bottom land on the farm. Balance good strong upland. Some nice oak, poplar and cedar timber. Convenient running water, springs and well; 4 room residence with 2 porches and 2 barns, in good condition. School and milk routes.
Anyone interested in buying a good river farm should inspect this property and attend the sale which will be held on the premises, regardless of weather conditions at hour dated.
Also, the oil royalty on the above-described land will be sold. Oil wells are now being pumped on this property.
Terms: Cash. Possession on January 1, 1941. Come prepared to buy!
Bowling Green Trust Company, Executors, L. B. Sandidge Estate
Newspapers are a great source of information for your family members. Births, weddings and funerals are usually announced, especially in small towns. Other life occurrences are mentioned, as well as less important events such as attending a party or school news for students. For the genealogist it can be a gold mine! And now that you have this information you can use it to search other available records in courthouses, libraries, etc.
Categories: Newspaper Articles
