Notes from The White County Democrat, 1902

Friday, December 12:

In our court notes will be noted among the new suits begun, one entitled state on relation of Fred Krinning against B.F. Ross etal. This is an action brought at the instigation of young Krinning to recover damages for arrest and imprisonment without due process of law, and on a charge of which he appears to be innocent. The developments are awaited with much interest by many, and with some anxiety by those most directly interested.

State on relation of Fred Krinning vs. B.F. Ross and sureties on bond. Demand $1000 damages for false imprisonment.

Sitka: The box supper here last week was a success financially. Otherwise it was a disgrace to a civilised community. Such things as drunkenness, theft and ill manners there was no end. It was the teacher's first and probably the last entertainment given at his school. We were told it was like others held around here, and if so the sooner such things are stopped the better. The proceeds were spent for an organ.

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This is the first of a series. Some time ago, I spent the better part of a year collecting snippets of family history from old newspapers on microfilm, two in particular:

• The White County Democrat, published weekly on Friday at Monticello, White County, Indiana (correspondents from Reynolds, Chalmers, Sitka, Brookston and other nearby localities)
• The Sheldon Progress and Sheldon Enterprise, published weekly on Thursday at Sheldon, Ransom County, North Dakota (correspondents from Pleasant Prairie, Sand Hill, Owego, and other nearby localities)

My handwritten notes filled three legal pads and included snippets pertaining not only to my direct lineage surnames but also to many other surnames as well, extended family related by marriage in many cases. Sometimes I noted something just because it was interesting or perhaps a sign of the times. It's wise to remember that most of these snippets come from what were essentially local gossip columns. The margin of error is wide, wide, wide! Still, there are nuggets of history to be had, and they bring some life to the dry data of genealogy. Enjoy!