I Accidentally Found a Notorious Gangster in the Family Tree

This post is sponsored by Newspapers.com. All opinions and research experiences are my own.

I accidentally discovered one of Boston’s most notorious prohibition-era gangsters – Charles “The King” Solomon – in my husband’s family tree!

But this isn’t a story about finding criminals in the family tree. It’s about the research methodology that made this discovery possible and why it demonstrates the essential value of newspaper research for every genealogist.

When genealogists talk about newspaper research, we often focus on the dramatic discoveries—the scandals, the headlines, the unexpected revelations. But the real value of newspapers in family history research is much more fundamental than that. The basic records tell you your ancestors existed. Newspapers tell you how they lived.

Let me show you what I mean through this research experience that perfectly illustrates why newspapers should be part of every genealogist’s toolkit.

When Traditional Records Hit Their Limit (& They Will!)

The subject of my research was Samuel Solomon (my husband’s great grandfather) of Salem, Massachusetts. Specifically, I wanted to learn more about him and figure out the relationships between other Solomons in the area.

I had completed the basic genealogy research: census records showed his occupation and household composition, city directories tracked his addresses over time, and marriage records established family connections.

During this process, I kept encountering references to other Solomon men in the area—Harry Solomon and Isadore Solomon. My mother-in-law was able to shed light on their relationship to Samuel – They were his nephews.

Now I had established the family relationships, but I wanted to understand more about the family and their lives there in Salem.

What kind of work did they do? How were they involved in their community? This is where newspaper research and Newspapers.com became invaluable.

The basic records told me they existed. Newspapers would tell me how they lived.

Why I Turned to Newspapers Next

The Solomon men were local businessmen, so newspapers were the logical next step. Business announcements, civic involvement, obituaries—all of these capture social context that vital records simply don’t provide.

I started my search on Newspapers.com with a straightforward search: “Harry Solomon” + Salem Massachusetts in the early to mid-1900’s.

The initial results confirmed what I expected. Multiple articles mentioned Harry in business contexts, validating the family story about their occupations.

But then I noticed something interesting—several articles also referenced a “Charles Solomon” in connection with these men.

This was a name I hadn’t encountered in my vital records research.

Following the Research Trail

This is where newspaper research demonstrates its real strength: the ability to reveal connections and context that other sources miss.

A brief business article in the 22 April 1933 edition of The Daily Item (Lynn, Massachusetts) caught my attention. The headline read “New Corporation for The Hawthorne Cafe”.

The article mentioned “Harry Solomon, a brother to the late [Charles] King Solomon….”

Charles “The King” Solomon. Here was a new-to-me name in the family tree.

I recognized all the other Solomons mentioned, but if Charles was Harry’s brother, then he was also Samuel Solomon’s nephew. Still, exactly who was Charles Solomon?!

The Research Revelation That Floored Me!

A quick google search on Charles “The King” Solomon and I had my answer. Charles Solomon was a notorious Boston gangster during prohibition and nephew my husband’s great grandfather. He was best known for running bootlegging, gambling, and narcotics operations in the 1920s. He controlled much of Boston’s underworld from his base at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub and was one of the city’s most powerful crime figures until his murder in 1933.

Interestingly there is no oral history or stories about Charles in the family.

I went back into Newspapers.com to learn more about Charles Solomon! Multiple articles were written and I spent hours (literally!) reading and learning about him.

Here’s the thing – without newspaper research, I never would have found this family connection. I didn’t know to look for Charles Solomon, and I would not have discovered that crucial article mentioning Harry Solomon that revealed their sibling relationship.

Before OCR-searchable newspaper databases, this type of discovery would have been nearly impossible—I would have needed to know exactly what I was looking for and which newspapers to examine.

The Research Lessons That Matter Most

This discovery reinforced several important principles about newspaper research that apply to any genealogy project:

Newspapers capture social context that vital records miss. While traditional genealogy records showed Harry and his brother Isadore as businessmen associated with The Hawthorne Cafe, newspapers revealed the full complexity of their family connections and social circumstances.

Family stories provide valuable research direction. Despite limited oral history, my mother-in-law’s knowledge of “Samuel’s nephews” gave me the specific names I needed to start searching. Even casual family mentions often contain research clues.

Repetition in search results signals importance. When Charles Solomon kept appearing in articles about Harry, that pattern was telling me something significant about family connections. Don’t ignore names that show up repeatedly.

Geographic expansion can reveal the bigger picture. Moving from Salem-focused searches to broader Massachusetts and Boston searches revealed the full scope of Charles’s story and his connection to the family.

Multiple sources build confidence. The more newspaper articles that mentioned the same family relationships, the more certain I became about the connections.

Historical context helps us understand our ancestors’ choices. Understanding the specific time period and circumstances our ancestors lived in—rather than judging them by today’s standards—helps us interpret their choices as products of their historical moment.

The beauty of modern newspaper databases is that they let you follow research trails without knowing exactly where they’ll lead. Sometimes the most interesting discoveries happen when you’re simply trying to understand your ancestors’ daily lives.

Ready to explore newspaper research for your own family? Newspapers.com is offering 20% off Publisher Extra subscriptions for readers who want to investigate their ancestors’ social history.

Newspaper research isn’t just about finding dramatic stories. It’s about understanding our ancestors as complete people within their historical moment.

How to Apply This Strategy to Your Family Tree

Ready to apply these strategies to your own family history? Here’s how to get started:

Begin with what you know. Look at your existing research for mentions of ancestors involved in business, community activities, or local organizations. These are prime candidates for newspaper research.

Start local, then expand. Begin your searches with specific towns and regions where your ancestors lived, then gradually broaden to neighboring areas or major cities if you’re finding limited results.

Use strategic search terms. Try different combinations: full names, nicknames, business names, or family surnames. Sometimes the breakthrough comes from trying a variation you hadn’t considered.

Follow the unexpected connections. When unfamiliar names appear repeatedly in your ancestor’s articles, investigate them. They might reveal family relationships, business partnerships, or social connections you didn’t know existed.

The key is remembering that newspaper research isn’t just about finding dramatic stories—it’s about understanding your ancestors as complete people within their historical moment. Every search has the potential to reveal something new about how your family lived, worked, and connected with their communities.

Why Newspaper Research Changes Everything

This research experience demonstrates why newspapers are essential tools in the search for your ancestors. They provide the social and historical context that transforms names and dates into real people with real lives.

The tools available through platforms like Newspapers.com make this kind of research accessible in ways that previous generations of genealogists could not achieve.

What family connections are you curious about? What ancestors do you know existed but not how they lived? The answers might be waiting in newspaper archives, ready to provide the context that brings your family history to life.

Ready to explore newspaper research for your own family? Newspapers.com is offering 20% off Publisher Extra subscriptions for readers who want to investigate their ancestors’ social history.