Newspapers
Newspapers can be especially rich sources of both contextual and family history information, and Georgia is fortunate to have a robust newspaper preservation project and a digitization project that provides not only page images but word-by-word searching.
Searching Hints
When searching for family names, it is important to use variant spellings.
Note that in the 19th and early 20th century married women were seldom mentioned by their first names (so, Mrs. John Smith rather than Mary Smith). Men are very frequently referred to by first initials rather than full names (J.C. Smith rather than John Smith).
Early Newspapers
Few newspapers in the Maysville/Jackson County area were published before the 1870s, but several from nearby cities provide useful information:
Southern Banner (Athens, Georgia, 1827-1921). Various titles, including Athenian, Northeast Georgian, Weekly Georgian, Weekly Banner, Daily Banner. Merged in 1882 with the Southern Watchman to form the Athens Banner-Watchman.
Southern Watchman (Athens, Georgia, 1833-1882). Various titles, including Southern Whig and Southern Herald. Merged in 1882 with the Southern Banner to form the Athens Banner-Watchman.
Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, Georgia, 1789-1876). Various titles, including Georgia State Gazette and Chronicle & Constitutionalist.
Augusta Herald (Augusta, Georgia, 1799-1882). Ceased in 1882. A later newspaper of the same name is not considered a continuation.
Jackson County Newspapers
These Jackson County newspapers cover Maysville and other nearby communities:
Forest News (Jefferson, Georgia, 1875-1881). Continued by the Jackson Herald.
Jackson Herald (Jefferson, Georgia, 1881-current). Continues the Forest News. (Georgia Historic Newspapers excludes 1950-2007).
Print Compilations
In addition to the digitized and microfilm newspapers, print compilations of the two Jackson County newspapers make it easy to browse important aspects of daily life in Maysville and surrounding communities. These publications have not been digitized but are widely available, including in the Georgia Archives and Hargrett Library collections and in the local history collections of most Georgia public libraries.
Poss, Faye Stone, ed. Jackson County, Georgia Newspaper Clippings, The Forest News, June 1875 to January 1881. Snellville, GA: Privately printed, 2005.
Poss, Faye Stone, ed. Jackson County, Georgia Newspaper Clippings, Jackson Herald, February 1881 to December 1882. Snellville, GA: Privately printed, 2007.
Poss, Faye Stone, ed. Jackson County, Georgia Newspaper Clippings, Jackson Herald, February 1883 to 1885. Vol. 2. Snellville, GA: Privately printed, 2010.
