
My second great grandmother was a Rainwater, and as you can imagine, researching that name can be challenging. Whether researching in general databases, newspapers or a general Google Search, I frequently find myself wading through results such as rainwater baths, rainwater harvesting, and ads for artesian bath houses with water as-soft-as-rainwater.
Thanks to classes taken from Lisa Louise Cooke and tips in her book "The Genealogist's Google Toolbox," I've learned tricks to help me narrow down those searches, but with a name like Rainwater, there still seems to be a variety of results sure to bring a smile.
The two newspaper articles below are just a few examples:
A SERIOUS FALL
Yesterday morning Mr. Rainwater, engaged at the store of March & Price, while standing on a tall step ladder arranging the price of an immense pile of seersuckers and ginghams they suddenly fell with a dull, sickening thud--we mean the prices. The proprietors advised Mr. Rainwater to let them B flat.
Fort Worth Daily Gazette (Fort Worth, Texas) 1 May 1887 Sun page 5
accessed on Newspapers.com September 30, 2015
and yet another:
A WELL WATERED BANK
There can be water in banks the same as in wells and securities.
For instance: The Rainwater Bank & Trust Co of Morriton, Ark.
Wood Rainwater is president of the bank; Cloudy Night Rainwater, vice president and Night Rainwater treasurer. Loid Rainwater and Pearl Rainwater are directors. But somehow or other Pure Rainwater was left out. Ditto "Rain-in-the-face."
The Pittsburg Press, October 20, 1913, accessed on Google Newspapers
Yes, Cloudy Night was a man's real name and no, they weren't Native American, but possibly they believed they were. Cloudy Night Rainwater is in fact in my ancestry and since he is the only child I have listed for that family, I can see that I have some work to do on his family, among other Rainwater families.
Recent contacts with Rainwater cousins have helped me focus a little more on my Rainwater side of the family and with that has come the realization that I have neglected them for long enough. Maybe it's time I wring out the records in search of my Rainwaters.
Copyright © Michelle G. Taggart 2015, All rights reserved