Genealogists and local historians will find a wealth of
information in these old newspapers. The weekly "gossip" columns,
wedding and death announcements, court and legal documents, and
even the classified advertisements are filled with the names of old
Tuscaloosa area residents. The names can be compared with census
records and can help family historians document the lives of their
relatives. The local businesses, clubs, schools and churches of
post-Reconstruction Tuscaloosa were especially important social
services, and the newspaper accounts of their activities and
memberships are invaluable research sources.
The usefulness of a Gazette item to genealogists can vary from
zero to invaluable, depending upon a researcher's needs. In some
cases, it may only be a "dead letter" listing from the
Postmaster, while in others it might be a legal note containing
names of heirs and exact property descriptions. Even incidental
mention, however, can be used to prove or establish personal
details or locations for questionable relatives.