North Judson News (Indiana) - Skibbe family

I am the proud owner of several editions of the North Judson News (Indiana) thanks to an E-Bay auction. North Judson is the largest town near Wayne Township in Starke County  where my great grandparents, Wilhelm and Julia Skibbe, settled near after becoming citizens of the United States.  Prior to moving to Wayne Township the Skibbe's resided in Chicago from  about 1887 to 1899.  Wilhelm lived in Laurenburg Germany now LeBork, Poland prior to coming to the United States. The family lore states Julia was living in Berlin prior to her marriage to Wilhelm.

There is one newspaper edition from 1897, one from 1898, six from 1908 and one from 1921.  Researching archival solutions for the papers I learned just how highly acidic newspapers are.  The acidity in the paper is what turns the paper darker and brittle.   Newspaper clippings can be de-acidified with the use of Bookkeeper Deacidification Spray.  The spray neutralizes the paper to buffer it from future destructive acids. The creases in the newspapers have accelerated the breakdown of the paper.  I have carefully unfolded the papers and  weighted them down to preserve them flat.  I purchased a box and folders from Hollinger to keep the newspapers safe for the future.
 
I need to order some additional folders and some more cotton gloves. Stinky the Cat has decided that the gloves are the best toy ever.  She has even figured out how to open drawers to remove them from my office.  Maybe I should just purchase a pair just for her and figure out some way to lock the drawers in my desk.

I am looking forward to reading the papers.  I of course would love to find some information on my family but any clues to the area would be interesting.  I will share some of my more interesting finds as I review the editions.

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