Friday Fun: Finding New Magazines of Old To Follow the Past

Ever wonder what the next step is in the quest for finding the family lore, er, history?  Sitting and scratching the head while trying to make sense of some newly uncovered finds can certainly be one of them.  Then again, finding something to new to look at can just provide the proper incentive to put off that head scratching just one more day.

I literally stumbled on to an announcement that the magazine Western Pennsylvania History has recently updated the issues which are online to read...  for free!  My little fin fans flew to the site which is on the Penn State Library site to see if there was anything of interest.  I just clicked on a random issue from the Spring of 2011 which had the picture of Benjamin FRANKLIN on the cover.  After a quick download of the PDF, I sat mesmerized by the article on old Ben gathering wagons to assist in the fight against BRADDOCK.

Deciding to see if there are any issues with any of my kin is an easy leap now.  Clicking on Oliver MILLER of the Whiskey Rebellion fame was a success.  So now I have to spend some serious hours just reading and absorbing the information.

Table of Contents, Winter 1992-1993,  Showing Article on Oliver Miller

This may take some time as the issues go back to 1918.  As a side note, looking back at one of the 1918 issues, I found a short article on the last public execution in Allegheny Co.  The event took place in 1818.  To provide a quick summary, John TIERNAN murdered Pat. (Patrick?) CAMPBELL.  Not surprising is the acknowledgement of alleged excessive drinking by TIERNAN.  Why did I find this of interest?

I, too, am acutely aware of a last hanging--  although the one I am familiar with was in Michigan, involved a man who was known to have been an unpleasant drunk, and was in 1830.  Guess we'll talk about that particular story later after I piece together some more details on the chap's young adult life.

Ahh, genealogy.  Another Friday to follow the past with the help of friends.  Awesome.

©2017  AS Eldredge

Sources:

https://journals.psu.edu/wph/article/view/1172/1020