TOM MOONEY
Poetry of the past sparks research TOM MOONEY Out on a limb
By Tom Mooney tmooney2@ptd.netColumnist
JEAN BAUMANN of Baldwinsville, N.Y., is on the trail of a family poet of times past. Let’s see if we can help her today.
“My grandmother’s brother, John E. Griffith, of Nanticoke, Pa., wrote religious poems which appeared on the editorial page every Saturday. I have come across some of his poetry and would love to know if there is any more. The poems are cut out of a newspaper and I can see the heading is Wilkes-Barre, Pa.”
Jean, for several decades in the middle of the 20th century The Times Leader ran a Saturday editorial page poetry feature. The columns would include one poem by a famous writer and many more by local people. I presume this is what you are referring to.
I did a quick survey of various years during that period, and while I did not uncover any of John E. Griffith’s work I did see that the weekly poetry offering was a popular feature showcasing local writers. The broad range of topics included the beauties of nature, religious faith and the courage of a child in an iron lung.
Incidentally, there were several John E. Griffiths living in Nanticoke in the early and middle years of the 20th century. Most were listed in the city directories as store clerks. The last one I found was a YMCA employee.
Jean, you might want to consider a trip here to track down your relative’s work. The Osterhout Free Library and the Luzerne County Historical Society, both on South Franklin Street in Wilkes-Barre, have good microfilm collections of The Times Leader. The Osterhout’s begins at 1950; the Historical Society’s goes back to the origin of the paper in 1907.
Research tip
With the 200th anniversary of Jesse Fell’s successful test of his anthracite grate coming up Monday, this is a good year to begin researching your coal mining ancestors. To this end, materials at the Luzerne County Historical Society will be useful.
If you know the name of the mine at which he worked, the history volumes compiled by Edward Phillips will give you a lot of facts about that mine. If you don’t know the name of his mine, but you do know the town he lived in, look under the town histories in Phillips for information on what mines existed there. He probably worked within walking distance or just a streetcar ride away.
Was he killed or hurt on the job, like thousands of other miners? If you know the date, go right to the newspaper microfilms. Remember, though, that mine deaths and injuries – unless connected with a disaster – tended to be treated as routine news in papers of the day. If you don’t know the exact date, the Wilkes-Barre Record Almanac (1886-1962) has an annual section on mining and a day-by-day news summary. The society’s collection of annual state mine reports will list fatalities and other incidents.
News Notes
My free “Getting Started in Genealogy” classes for the winter session have been completed. The next round will take place in September and October at Boscov’s Department Store in Wilkes-Barre. Classes will be announced in The Times Leader in August or September.
Meeting: “Classical Glass,” Lackawanna County milk bottles,” will be on the program when Ron Kordish speaks at this month’s meeting of the Genealogical Research Society of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The meeting is set for 7-9 p.m. at 211 Susquehanna Ave., Olyphant, in the community room. On the web
To read more by Tom Mooney, visit www.
timesleader.com.
Tom Mooney is a Times Leader genealogy columnist. Reach him at tmooney2@ptd.net
Fonte: Wilkes Barre Times-Leader - Wilkes Barre,PA,USA
Poetry of the past sparks research TOM MOONEY Out on a limb
By Tom Mooney tmooney2@ptd.netColumnist
JEAN BAUMANN of Baldwinsville, N.Y., is on the trail of a family poet of times past. Let’s see if we can help her today.
“My grandmother’s brother, John E. Griffith, of Nanticoke, Pa., wrote religious poems which appeared on the editorial page every Saturday. I have come across some of his poetry and would love to know if there is any more. The poems are cut out of a newspaper and I can see the heading is Wilkes-Barre, Pa.”
Jean, for several decades in the middle of the 20th century The Times Leader ran a Saturday editorial page poetry feature. The columns would include one poem by a famous writer and many more by local people. I presume this is what you are referring to.
I did a quick survey of various years during that period, and while I did not uncover any of John E. Griffith’s work I did see that the weekly poetry offering was a popular feature showcasing local writers. The broad range of topics included the beauties of nature, religious faith and the courage of a child in an iron lung.
Incidentally, there were several John E. Griffiths living in Nanticoke in the early and middle years of the 20th century. Most were listed in the city directories as store clerks. The last one I found was a YMCA employee.
Jean, you might want to consider a trip here to track down your relative’s work. The Osterhout Free Library and the Luzerne County Historical Society, both on South Franklin Street in Wilkes-Barre, have good microfilm collections of The Times Leader. The Osterhout’s begins at 1950; the Historical Society’s goes back to the origin of the paper in 1907.
Research tip
With the 200th anniversary of Jesse Fell’s successful test of his anthracite grate coming up Monday, this is a good year to begin researching your coal mining ancestors. To this end, materials at the Luzerne County Historical Society will be useful.
If you know the name of the mine at which he worked, the history volumes compiled by Edward Phillips will give you a lot of facts about that mine. If you don’t know the name of his mine, but you do know the town he lived in, look under the town histories in Phillips for information on what mines existed there. He probably worked within walking distance or just a streetcar ride away.
Was he killed or hurt on the job, like thousands of other miners? If you know the date, go right to the newspaper microfilms. Remember, though, that mine deaths and injuries – unless connected with a disaster – tended to be treated as routine news in papers of the day. If you don’t know the exact date, the Wilkes-Barre Record Almanac (1886-1962) has an annual section on mining and a day-by-day news summary. The society’s collection of annual state mine reports will list fatalities and other incidents.
News Notes
My free “Getting Started in Genealogy” classes for the winter session have been completed. The next round will take place in September and October at Boscov’s Department Store in Wilkes-Barre. Classes will be announced in The Times Leader in August or September.
Meeting: “Classical Glass,” Lackawanna County milk bottles,” will be on the program when Ron Kordish speaks at this month’s meeting of the Genealogical Research Society of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The meeting is set for 7-9 p.m. at 211 Susquehanna Ave., Olyphant, in the community room. On the web
To read more by Tom Mooney, visit www.
timesleader.com.
Tom Mooney is a Times Leader genealogy columnist. Reach him at tmooney2@ptd.net
Fonte: Wilkes Barre Times-Leader - Wilkes Barre,PA,USA
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