Mrs. J. R. Shipman In the Newspaper

Yesterday (May 10th) I wrote about my 2nd great-grandmother, Lucy Jane Chase, who married Joshua Rodney (J. R.) Shipman. She appeared in the Goodland Republic newspaper from Goodland Kansas as Mrs. J. R. Shipman. A portion of this newspaper has been digitized and placed on the Library of Congress Chronicling America website. I found entries for her from 1898 through 1903.

It appears that the paper had local correspondents who reported what was going on in the community. In 1898 she was found under the headline New Liberty Notes. We can learn that Lucy Jane had been quite ill in the middle of May, but was improving. Many of the notations were about who visited whom. In June the Shipmans visited the L.F. Smalley home (Rosa was their daughter) and the C.C. Kipps family.

By 1900 the headline was Edson. Several of the times when Lucy Jane was mentiioned, it was due to illness. Among her ailments were: a severe attack of pleurisy, rheumatism, and a severe attack of neuralgia. This last one required Dr. Smith to come out to their home.

But more of the articles were who visited them and who they visited. Among others in the community who were mentioned were Mr. and Mrs. William Dubre, Mrs. L. F. Smalley, Mrs. J. Bobbitt, Mrs. J. W. Gogan, Mrs. G. L. Calvert, Mr. and Mrs. John Reed, Mrs. Morey, Mrs. C. W. Sigman, Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Austin.

They also went fishing. The Shipmans and the Dubres went down to the Smoky (River) on a Thursday and returned home on Saturday. They reported plenty of fishing, but few fish.

The last article I found for her was in Oct 1903 at Edson: "The quilting at Mrs. J. R. Shipman's Monday was well attended, about 17 of her friends being present, and a very enjoyable time was had."

I truly enjoy reading about the daily lives of my family. It seemed that although she had aches and pains as many of us older people do, she still was able to visit with friends and neighbors and even hosted a quilting party.