Front-Page Discovery: Uncovering My Great Granduncle's Story in the News
How Finding Dr. Clarence A. Click's Death Notice Unveiled His Life and Legacy
When I began researching my great granduncle, Dr. Clarence A. Click, I never expected to find his death announcement on the front page of the newspaper. I first discovered Clarence in Newberry County, South Carolina as a child. This surprising discovery not only provided details about his passing but also painted a richer picture of his life and contributions.
When we moved to Fayetteville, North Carolina I knew that I would be closer to do the research. Many times, when I cannot find any living relatives, I can usually find results in the newspaper.
The Unexpected Find
While exploring old newspaper archives, I stumbled upon the front-page notice of Dr. Clarence A. Click's death. This unexpected placement underscored his significance in the community. The article revealed details about his career, his teaching of economics and social science, and even shared insights into the circumstances surrounding his passing. I learned he had been a respected professor, dedicated to serving his community. The article also mentioned the family members he left behind, providing new leads for my genealogy research.
The article, Dr. Chick, Retired Professor, Dies Here, revealed the following:
This was the first reference to him as having a doctorate. I will need to delve further to find were we earned the achievement. A retired professor dying in Fayetteville. He could have been laid to rest in Whitmire, Newberry, South Carolina alongside his parents and siblings and other family members, but he chose to be laid to rest at Rockfish Memorial Park in Fayetteville.
He taught at Fayetteville State College for 24 years and died at the Veterans Hospital. Funeral services were held at First Baptist Church by Dr. C. R. Edwards, pastor. First Baptist Church was the church he and his wife, Helen, attended.
Clarence was an ordained minister servicing Virginia, Red Springs, St. Peter and Piney Grove Baptist Churches of Hoke County. His education was somewhat more complete in the Fayetteville State Teacher’s College Accreditation Book held at Fayetteville State College.
If possible, I will need to get the following records to document Clarence:
Benedict College - Columbia, South Carolina
Fayetteville’s Mayor’s Bi-Racial Committee
Fayetteville-Cumberland County Civic Association
United Fund
U.S.O.
Cumberland County Action Program Inc.
Cumberland County Unit
American National Red Cross
College Heights Credit Union
Fayetteville Technical Institute
First Baptist Church
Candidate for City Council, 1965
N.C. College Conference
Clarence had one son, Clarence A. Chick, of Los Angeles, California. Both Helen and Clarence Jr. are buried near Clarence in a family plot in Rockfish Memorial Park.
My Visit to the Digital Preservation Lab
I was checking out the Digital Preservation Lab located in the Local & State History Room at Headquarters Library of Cumberland County, North Carolina. It is located on the 2nd floor of the Headquarters Library at:
300 Maiden Lane
Fayetteville, NC 28301-5000
(910) 483-7727, ext. 1365
This resource proved invaluable in my newspaper research and preserving family documents.
Key Details I Discovered
The newspaper article provided crucial information, including:
Date and location of death
Cause of death
His professional achievements
Names of surviving family members
Funeral details
Each of these clues opened new paths in my research, connecting me to other relatives and shedding light on the historical context of his life. See the next time I wrote about Dr. Clarence Adam Chick in Following the Footsteps of Uncle Clarence: Embracing Family Wisdom and Preserving Our Heritage.
Extracting Newspaper Details with Precision
Because newspaper articles are often filled with valuable details, I created my Newspaper Extraction Form to help researchers capture these key facts efficiently. This form guides you in recording:
Publication details (name, date, and page number)
Event details (who, what, when, where)
Personal insights (family connections, occupations, and social impact)
I encourage the genealogy community to use this tool to unlock their own family stories hidden within newspaper archives.
Get Your Free Newspaper Extraction Form
To help you make the most of your newspaper discoveries, download my Newspaper Extraction Form and start capturing every detail that can enhance your family history research. With the right tools, you might just uncover a front-page story of your own!
Happy researching, GenFriends! I brought you this blog post so that you could have the Newspaper Extraction Form. Here is the original: Documenting the Newspaper Obituary, Dr. Clarence Adam Chick (1896-1966)
