Obituaries - Road Maps to Information
by Nola Redd
Although they don't offer first-hand, serious, objective data,
I have always found some of my most interesting and rounded data
on my ancestors in newspapers. Consequently, I dream about
archiving the Roanoke Times & World News in Virginia, the area
where both my mother and father's family have lived for around
200 years. With that many relatives in the area, I argue, it
should be relatively easy to find information and stories on my
family.
I would like to take a few moments to share my journey in
locating my grandmother's grandfather. I already had his name
and vital statistics. In a routine search, I attempted to locate
his obituary. What I found was a full page layout commemorating
his life!
Unbeknowst to me - and a sudden 'oh yeah' from my grandmother -
Sylvester Philip Siefert was the mayor of Roanoke, Virginia on
two instances. First, he filled in 1912 as acting mayor for
approximately nine months. A great deal of research has never
revealed what happened to the existing mayor, but I am sure
continuous digging will yield the truth. Then, on September 3,
1930, he was again elected and served until 1934, when he chose
not to seek re-election.
Using the scattered information in the obituary, I called up
various news articles on him following each election. Further
information yielded that, while working for the railroad, he
served on the City Council, joined the Elk's Club, was a member
of St. Andrew's Roman Catholic church (where my parents were
married), was a member of the Knights of Columbus, and was
chairman of the troop for the Boy Scouts of America, going on to
be a part of the Boy Scout national council and receive the
Silver Beaver. In short, he was a rather social fellow.
Furthermore, I located an article by a reporter remembering my
great-great grandfather. In it, the author (no byline) stated, "
Mr. Seifert had lived an exemplary and useful life in the
fullest sense of the world and he enjoyed the respect and esteem
of his fellow citizens to a degree that impressively attested
their admiration for the qualities of integrity, uncompromising
honesty and loyalty in all the relationships of life that marked
his career both as a public servant and as a private citizen."
In the final paragraph, it is noted that, " "Syl" Seifert, as he
was affectionately called by his friends, was tireless and
energetic in his devoted service to the great railroad of which
he was an efficient and trusted employee, and to his church and
the community which honored him with its chief municpal office.
He leaves behind him the priceless heritage of a good name and
the memory of a well spent and useful life."*
Always check the obituaries. You never know what they might
teach you about your ancestors and their characters.
*Roanoke Times & World News, 10/12/1943
About Author
In addition to being an avid genealogist, Nola Redd is an author
on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers. If you would like to
read any of her fiction or nonfiction writing, or contact her
with information regarding Sylvester Seifert of Roanoke
Virginia, visit her writing.com portfolio.
article re-published 1 November 2006
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