The search for Mr GeniAus' Gowans cousins keeps me on my toes.
A while ago I tracked down one branch of the family to Tennessee; today I thought I would revisit them. Mr Google took me to a page entitled Online Tennessee Death Records & Indexes from which I followed a few links.
I struck gold at a resource compiled by the Nashville Public Library: "Index to Obituaries in the Nashville Tennessean Newspaper 1964-present also includes a Nashville marriage records index 1864-1905." I found obituaries for three Gowans cousins.
The library site states" Obituaries appearing in the Tennessean Newspaper are indexed back to 1964. The index will provide the first date the obituary appeared in the paper, as well as the page number. Once you have the date and page number, you can look up the obituary in the Tennessean."
Well I have my three references. Now I just need to find The Tennessean. Those instructions are fine if one lives near Nashville but what about a poor old Granny in Australia?
Worldcat tells me that the closest library to me that holds the newpaper is 7400 miles away in California.
A while ago I tracked down one branch of the family to Tennessee; today I thought I would revisit them. Mr Google took me to a page entitled Online Tennessee Death Records & Indexes from which I followed a few links.
I struck gold at a resource compiled by the Nashville Public Library: "Index to Obituaries in the Nashville Tennessean Newspaper 1964-present also includes a Nashville marriage records index 1864-1905." I found obituaries for three Gowans cousins.
The library site states" Obituaries appearing in the Tennessean Newspaper are indexed back to 1964. The index will provide the first date the obituary appeared in the paper, as well as the page number. Once you have the date and page number, you can look up the obituary in the Tennessean."
Well I have my three references. Now I just need to find The Tennessean. Those instructions are fine if one lives near Nashville but what about a poor old Granny in Australia?
Worldcat tells me that the closest library to me that holds the newpaper is 7400 miles away in California.
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| Closest locations for me to access the Gowans Obituaries.
As I will be visiting the UK soon I asked Worldcat if there were any locations close to London. Bingo - I would only have to travel 3200 miles from London to Boston to access the newspaper.
I am going to email the Nashville Public Library to see what they suggest. Failing that I will have to wait until Rootstech 2016 and plan an excursion to an American library that holds the Teneessean. I wonder what the weather is like in Tennessee in February?
In case some geneafairy is watching over me these are the permanent links from the Nashville Public Library to the obituary sources:
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5 comments:
I have been pondering on this Jill - I wonder if you joined the Tennessee Genealogy Network or the Tennessee Genealogy Society (or both!) on Facebook - someone might be able to help.
Jill, WorldCat indicates the State Library of NC has an e - version of The Tennessean. I can't find it online, but I can check the next time I'm there.
Jill, The Nashville Public Library will do lookups for $15. I think from looking at their instructions that they will do up to 5 lookups for that amount of money. I don't know if it will help, but I did locate an obit for Ronald H Gowan's widow. You might contact the funeral home to see if they also handled his arrangements and might have an obit for him.
GOWANS, Margaret Crenshaw
Knoxville, TN
Wednesday, February 18, 2004 in Knoxville, formerly of Nashville, she was a member of Eastminster Presbyterian Church. Preceded in death by her husband, Ronald Gowans; parents, James Robert and Bessie Pope Crenshaw; brother, James Robert Crenshaw, Jr. and sister, Katharine Mahaffey. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Clara and A. B. Hardin, Knoxville; grandchildren, Elizabeth and David Mautz, Greensboro, NC, Paula and Steve Hines, Chattanooga, TN, Andrea and Douglas Byerly, Cleveland, TN and Tony Hardin, Atlanta, GA; two nephews and eight great-grandchildren. Remains are at the Eastland Funeral Home, 904 Gallatin Road, where the family will receive friends Friday, from 6 until 8 p.m.. Graveside services Saturday, at 11:30 a.m., at Spring Hill Cemetery, conducted by the Rev. Philip Beisswenger, Pastor of Eastminster Presbyterian Church. Memorials may be made to Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 3930 Gallatin Road, Nashville, TN 37216. EASTLAND FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE, (615) 227-9558.
Source: Death Notices The Tennessean [Nashville, Tenn] 19 Feb 2004: B.6.
Good luck! Mary Roddy
Thank you all for your suggestions and offers. I have also been contacted by Clare who is taking up this search as her June RAGK activity.
Mary, that obituary is pure gold and adds so much to our Gowans line. When we return from our holidays I will endeavour to track down some of the grandchildren.
I am so grateful for all of your input.
Jill, were you able to locate any of the grandchildren mentioned in the obit? If I can help you "bag some live ones" let me know!
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