May 12, 2009-My Grandmother's Facebook

There is a lot in the news about social networking on sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. They have rules for participation and even censor information that is submitted by some of its members. I am a member of Facebook, though not an active participant. I go there and learn a whole lot of information about my children and grandchildren. It's fun to "sneak around" and read what everyone is doing. I have recently realized that my Grandmother and her Grandmother also had their own social networking sources.

Their communication and social information came in several ways. Of course, they wrote letters to each other. I recently read a letter written in the 1920's from my Aunt Vera to her sister, my Grandmother in which Vera talked about her children and Grandmother's children. Aunt Vera was offering to send clothing that her children had outgrown. She gave the ages of all the children, their size, their favorite things and activities they were doing in school. It was a clear picture of her family which took her a while to write and even longer before it was received by my Grandmother. I could go on Facebook right now and see pictures of my grandchildren and probably learn what they had for breakfast.

Another way of sending information was through picture post cards. The photograph of the family member was printed on the post card and a card was mailed to all the relatives. The most significant way my ancestors gained their information about family, friends and neighbors was in the newspaper. The newspapers, many published weekly, reported national news, but was absolutely full of "social networking" information.

I got my first look into this "social network" when I purchased a book entitled, Caddo Newspapers, Vol. I, published by the Bryan County Genealogy Library in Calera, Oklahoma. The social information in the Caddo Oklahoma Star in 1875 and 1876 was listed under the headings called "Local Items" and "Star Lights". Later in 1900, The Caddo Herald had headings like "Bennington Notes", "Caney Cullings", "Durants Dots" and "Bokchito Notes". Here is some of the invaluable information I obtained.

"There will be a party at A.A. Conine's next Thursday.
Dr. I.W. Folsom, of Atoka, called to see us this morning.
A few days ago, while a sister of Timothy Dwight was at church, her house and its entire contents were consumed by fire.
Rev. Allen Wright will preach here next Sabbath at 11 o'clock.
The fur trade is brisk; numerous pony loads of polecat, and other skins arrive daily.
Henry Childs, of Pauls Valley, was in town last week.
T. Fisher has opened a new meat market. "

I learned from these snipets that I can go to a party next Thursday, go to church to hear Rev. Wright, buy meat at the new market, get some polecat fur and send condolenences to the Dwight's about their house having burned.

Here is more information of a social nature taken from the Marietta Monitor, October 1, 1896. In this newspaper, they classified the information simply under "Personal". Just look what you could learn.

"James Fish left Friday to visit his old home in Kentucky.
Randolph Ross went to Roff on Sunday.
Judge Love went to Tishomingo on Sunday.
Dr. Schwartz will be at the Marietta Hotel, one day only-October 5.
W. A. Culwell of Burneyville, shipped a carload of hogs from here on Tuesday. "

I learned that Mr. Fish, Mr. Ross and Judge Love probably did not make it to the Marietta Hotel to see Dr. Schwartz on October 5 since they were out of town. And for Mr. Culwell to have a carload of hogs to ship, he must have raised a whole lot of hogs.

In the Ardmore, OK newspapers their social networking categories included: "About Ardmore", "Inter-Territorial", "Davis Driblets" and "Items of Interest". I could go on and on giving you information from these old newspapers because they are so interesting. I will instead give you some links so you can do some reading for yourself. You can "sneak around" these links looking for information, just as I "sneak around" Facebook. I think you will learn that Facebook has nothing on the power of the printed word. You will also probably notice that it took the newspapers very few words and no pictures to convey a clear message.

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~okbits/marietta.html

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~okbits/admorestate.html

Happy Reading!!!!!!!