How can I learn about the life of someone who died in the 1930s?

Question

I've looked on line but am open to any ideas.
He was not a famly member and I may have the wrong last name.

Please be helpful only

He was an orphan.

I for got to ask, how can I learn more about the time then?

Answer 1

Zero in on where the person lived; check archives of local papers and also contact historical societies in the region. What was the person's profession? You would be surprised how much info gets collected by rote. If they were a soldier then there are records, especially of they were an officer. Unons also keep info on their memebers, but the best are Guilds & Association. A person known as an 'artist' most likely has a bio some place as do Teachers and other Acadamians.

Yearsbooks are a treasure map; often a maiden name pops up, or a nickname and you can find out a persons hobbies. Example, in a year book you discover 'so & so' played chess. Guess what there is a Chess Club in the city the person lived in during the last decade of their life; digging into the clubs archives you find info.

And this is not meant to be Mormon Bashing, but they have the best genealogcal records on Earth, and with scant info can generally conjur up names dates etc. Just go on line and hunt down the Mormon Database or simliar,

Good Luck ---

Pax----------------------

PS approach historical societies gingerly but with courage // if they 'like' you they will swim through wastewater to provide you with what you need.

Answer 2

If you visit one of the major bookstores in a major city, you will find a Glossary of books under the Biography Section. That list will provide you with every biography ever published. Just check under your subjects name. Once you have located a book concerning your subject, then asked one of the employees if the book is still in print. If yes, then order it. if not, then take the names of the author/biographer and the title of the book and go on line looking for a copy.
If all of this fails, look up your subject in (1) an older printing(1950-60) of the Encyclopedia Britannica or the New Standard Encyclopedia. If that fails, try the current publication of each.
If your subject was involved in a news worthy event, track down that event thru the files(on line) of the local newspaper that would have covered the event.
That's it. Try and be rewarded.

Answer 3

Hmm... You might want to check sources that detail life in the Great Depression, and how orphans were treated (like where they lived, etc.) in that time period. Wikipedia is an ok source if you're looking up information out of personal interest, but you can't rely on it if you're working on a paper or project for school. You can't be 100% sure of its accuracy, as anyone can edit any article.

Answer 4

You'll have to get the last name right. Then if he's the sunject of any online queries, you can google his name and town, and see if anyone has started a discussion thread on him. I have found many people that way.

You can also check census records at your local library or the nearest LDS church or by subscribing to a genealogy website, or you can buy the cd's of the US census for 1930.
.

Answer 5

You could look him up in the 1910 Census.

Oh, wait. You don't know his name.

What *do* you know about him? You're going to have to find someone alive in the 1930s who can figure out who you're talking about, without your knowing his name.

Call his grandmother and ask questions of her.

Answer 6

Learning happens when you are alive to present moment.. even immediate past moment will not help you to live..

how can 1930 be of any help..

Answer 7

Try wikipedia

Answer 8

call