Andover
Newspapers
Many valuable bits of information for genealogical research can be found in old local newspapers. In older papers, the front page had a large focus on small town gossip-type, upbeat information instead of the tragedy we are used to in modern times. Those stories would be found later in the paper, but as a researcher, the front page stories contain not only good genealogical data, but a nice look into the daily life of earlier times.
Even in the first papers in Andover, we find there was a strong need to revisit the past. There are several sections of Andover's papers dedicated only to reprinting Vital Records from the 1600's, re-telling soldier's stories and tracing early roots of Andover settlers.
Andover had two newspapers, the Advertiser and the still published Townsman. I have taken a great deal of time transcribing various parts of each paper. You will find the content in each paper slightly different, but neither lacks in information. I will be continuing to add to this collection over the years. If there are parts of the paper you are interested in more than another, please send me some feedback.
March 1853 ~ January 1860 online to date
November 1887 ~ 1893 & few from 1896 online to date
Andover Townsman Abbott Genealogy Historical Series
Multiple part series written by genealogist Charlotte Helen Abbott and were published in the old Andover newspapers. Ten of these articles are located on the Lovejoy family page.
Historical Series Articles Index
There are well over 100 such articles on microfilm at Memorial Hall Library. Many of them have already been copied and are available on this web page. Many more will be added over time. You may read through the index of articles to find out more about your Essex County or Andover ancestors.
