Why Newspapers Matter
Newspapers are among the most valuable genealogical sources available. They provide context, personality, and daily life details that official records rarely capture.
Newspapers may include:
- Obituaries and death notices
- Marriage announcements
- Divorce proceedings
- Land sales and legal notices
- Estate settlements
- School news and honor rolls
- Church events
- Court reports
- Business advertisements
- Community gossip columns
Because Union County sits along the Ohio River, news often crossed county and state lines. Families may appear in Kentucky and Indiana newspapers.
Historic Newspapers Published in Union County
Over time, Union County was served by various local newspapers, particularly in Morganfield and surrounding communities. Titles have included:
- The Morganfield News
- The Union County Advocate
- The Union County Journal
- Regional river-county newspapers
Exact publication years and availability vary. Researchers should search multiple repositories.
Online Newspaper Collections
- Chronicling America (Library of Congress)
- Kentucky Digital Newspaper Program
- Kentucky Digital Library
- Newspapers.com (subscription)
- GenealogyBank (subscription)
Search not only Union County but also Henderson, Webster, Crittenden, and neighboring Indiana counties.
Research Strategies
- Search by surname only, then narrow by location.
- Search women under married and maiden names.
- Search for neighbors and business partners.
- Check legal notices for estate settlements and land transfers.
- Search newspapers 1-3 weeks after a death for full obituaries.
- Look for anniversary articles decades after events occurred.
Small-town newspapers often reported visitors, illnesses, and travel, providing valuable migration clues.
Contribute to This Page
If you have Union County newspaper abstracts, obituary transcriptions, or digitized images to share, contributions are welcome.