Newspapers, like the Deseret News, have a wealth of information in their archives.
OLD newspapers are the only known way to do this.
Newspapers.com offers an almost endless archive of old newspapers from across the country -- and even some foreign entries.
Just search by name or keyword and it is amazing what can be found about parents, relatives and others.
Until the late 1970s, EVERY speeding ticket and fender bender were usually printed in local newspapers. Also, coverage of weddings used to be very detailed with the names of the entire wedding party.
Some former classmates or friends, who one has lost track of, might be able to be located through old newspapers. At the least, it is almost always possible to find out what they did before the year 2000 or so. (Not everyone is on Facebook.)
If a person is in their 50s or more, they will especially be excited about what can be found about relatives and friends. Even some of their own accomplishments, that they didn't know were even in a newspaper back in the day, might be discovered.
But be warned! These searches can create some family mysteries that may not be fully solved, because key people involved might have passed on. So, don't wait too long to do newspapers searches.
The author personally found that an uncle had survived a head-on collision with a gasoline tanker; that his great-grandfather constructed the first bridge in Morgan, Utah -- and much more.
Newspapers.com also offers a free, seven day trial.
