(This page's most recent update is November 2024)
For those of you who have Protestant ancestors in your family tree, many newspapers have been published in the past that may help you find some information and stories about your ancestors. So not only are the city or town newspapers great to research, but also the “specialty” newspapers, such as church newspapers, for example.
Take a look at these sites and search them for info about your ancestors. If you know of any others, please let me know in the comments.
Alabama
- Birmingham Age-Herald (Birmingham, Ala.) 1890-1895
- Chambers Tribune
- Christian Herald
- South Western Baptist
Alaska
Arkansas
Arizona
- Ajo Copper News (Ajo, Pima Co., Ariz.) 1916-1926
- Poston Christian Church (Poston, Ariz.) 1942-1945
- Poston Christian Church (Poston, Ariz.) 1942 to 1945
California
- Amador Weekly Ledger (Jackson, Amador County, Cal.) 1857-1875
- The California Baptist
- Right On!
- California Southern Baptist Convention Digital Archive
- California Southern Baptist 1901-1916
- Pacific
Colorado
- Bulletin (Granada, Colo.) 1942-1942
- Protestant Herald
- Protestant Nation
- The Earnest Christian
- The Granada Christian Church News
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Delaware
Florida
- Boletin Obrero (Tampa, Fla.) 1903-190?
- Christian voice monthly
- Florida Baptist witness
- Florida Christian advocate
- Florida Christian advocate.
- Methodist news
- Southern Baptist witness
- The Florida Evangelist
Georgia
- Atlanta Age (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-19??
- Southern Christian Advocate (Charleston, S.C.) 1837-1948
- The Presbyterian of the South : [Combining the] Southwestern Presbyterian, Central Presbyterian, Southern Presbyterian (Atlanta, Ga.) 1909-1931
- Atlanta, 1963-current – The Georgia bulletin
- Atlanta, Ga., 186?-1??? – The Baptist banner.
- Atlanta, Ga., 186?-186? – The Banner and Baptist.
- Atlanta, Ga., 1863-1??? – The soldier’s friend.
- Atlanta, Ga., 1866-1871 – Christian index and South-western Baptist.
- Atlanta, Ga., 1869-???? – The Methodist advocate.
- Atlanta, Ga., 1872-1881 – The Christian index.
- Atlanta, Ga., 1881-???? – The Atlanta universalist.
- Atlanta, Ga., 1881-1892 – The Christian index and southern Baptist.
- Atlanta, Ga., 1893-1900 – Voice of missions.
- Atlanta, Ga., 1906-1915 – The Golden age.
- Atlanta, Ga., 1909-1931 – The Presbyterian of the South : [combining the] Southwestern Presbyterian, Central Presbyterian, Southern Presbyterian.
- Augusta, Ga., 1864-1865 – The Pacificator.
- Augusta, Ga., 1920-1957 – The bulletin
- Covington, Ga., 1851-1862 – Southern Baptist messenger.
- Cumming, Ga., 18??-1??? – The Baptist banner.
- Gainesville, Ga., 1887-1??? – The Baptist sun.
- Guyton, Ga., 18??-current – The Baptist reporter.
- Macon, Ga., 18??-18?? – Southern Christian advocate.
- Macon, Ga., 1831-18?? – Georgia Christian repertory.
- Macon, Ga., 1863-1865 – Army and Navy herald.
- Macon, Georgia, 1872-1886 – Kind words for the Sunday school children.
- Monroe, Ga., 1958-1958 – The Savannah bulletin.
- Monroe, Ga., 1958-1962 – Bulletin
- Mt. Zion, Hancock County, Ga., 1819-182? – The missionary.
- Rome, Ga., 1859-186? – Landmark banner & Cherokee Baptist.
- Savannah, Ga., 1875-1877 – Southern cross.
- Valdosta, Ga., 1893-1918 – The Pilgrim’s banner.
- Washington, Ga., 1835-1866 – The Christian index.
- Baptist Banner
- Georgia Reporter And Christian Gazette
- Mount Zion Presbyterian Church
- Bulletin
- Covington GA Southern Baptist Messenger
- Penfield GA Christian Index
- Presbyterian of the South (Atlanta, 1909-1922)
Hawaii
Idaho
Iowa
- Audubon County Republican (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894
- Iowa Baptist Standard (Des Moines, Iowa) 1897-1???
- The Baptist Record
- The Fort Dodge Methodist
Illinois
- Abendblatt Der Illinois Staats-Zeitung (Chicago, Ill.) 1891-1894
- Western Cumberland Presbyterian
- First Congregational Church
- Illinois Christian Advocate
- Our youth, a paper for young people and their teachers
- Standard
- Syndicalist
- The Interior
Indiana
- Brookville American (Brookville, Ind.) 1858-1861
- Gospel Trumpet
- Vital Christianity
- United Methodist Newspapers
Kansas
- Afro-American Advocate (Coffeyville, Kan.) 1891-1893
- Western Christian Recorder (Kansas City, Kan.) 18??-1899
- Arcadia – The Christian Worker
- Argentine – The Baptist Banner
- Arkansas City – Daily News
- Atchison – Atchison Baptist
- Atchison – The Atchison Church Visitor
- Belleville – Belleville Christian
- Belleville – The Baptist Visitor
- Chapman – Christian Endeavor
- Chase – Church Worker
- Cherryvale – The Baptist Banner
- Clay Center – Clay Center Baptist
- Clay Center – The Kansas Baptist
- Clay Center – Western Baptist
- Columbus – Baptist Banner
- Dodge City – Our Methodist
- Douglass – Church Record
- El Dorado – Church Messenger
- Emporia – Baptist Visitor
- Emporia – Christian Visitant
- Emporia – Emporia Baptist
- Eureka – The Lutheran
- Fort Scott – The Christian Sower
- Fort Scott – The Church Advocate and Holiness Banner
- Fort Scott – The Church Herald and Holiness Banner
- Galena – The Christian Polemic
- Garnett – The Baptist Times
- Garnett – The Presbyterian Church Bulletin
- Great Bend – Christian Educator and God’s Defender
- Greensburg – The Christian
- Harper – The Christian Helper
- Hillsboro – Christliches Kinderblatt
- Hutchinson – The Christian Bugle
- Hutchinson – The Church Messenger
- Junction City – Junction City Methodist
- Junction City – The Methodist
- Kanopolis – The Kansas Methodist
- Kansas City – The Church Life
- Kansas City – The Methodist Record
- Lindsborg – The Christian Messenger
- Lindsborg – The Kansas Young Lutheran
- Manhattan – Kansas Methodist Times
- Manhattan – Kansas Presbyter
- Manhattan – Manhattan District Methodist and World-Wide Mission
- Manhattan – Manhatten Methodist
- Manhattan – Methodist Student
- Marion – Marion Baptist
- Minneapolis – The Church Gleaner
- Olathe – Olathe Baptist Builder
- Oswego – The Kansas Christian Advocate
- Ottawa – Kansas Baptist Union
- Peabody – Church of the New Jerusalem
- Salina – The Open Church
- Smith Center – Norton District Methodist
- South Haven – Methodist Lever
- Stockton – Christian Call
- Tonganoxie – The Christian Recruiter
- Topeka – Christian Church Helper
- Topeka – First Methodist
- Topeka – Kansas Baptist Herald
- Topeka – Kansas Baptist Review
- Topeka – Kansas Church Tidings
- Topeka – Kansas Methodist-Chautauqua
- Topeka – Kansas State Sunday School Journal
- Topeka – Methodist News
- Topeka – Midland Christian Advocate
- Topeka – Monthly Christian Blade
- Topeka – North Topeka Christian Messenger
- Topeka – The Baptist News
- Topeka – The Baptist Visitor
- Topeka – The Central Baptist
- Topeka – The Christian Blade
- Topeka – The Christian Citizen
- Topeka – The Christian Courier
- Topeka – The Christian News
- Topeka – The Church News
- Topeka – The Kansas Methodist
- Topeka – The Kansas United Presbyterian
- Topeka – The Presbyterian News
- Topeka – The Western Baptist
- Topeka – Third Baptist Herald
- Topeka – Topeka First Presbyterian
- Topeka – Western Cumberland Presbyterian
- Walton – Church Herald
- Wamego – The Presbyterian Herald
- Wellington – The Christian Reminder
- Wellington – The Primitive Christian
- Wichita – Burton Baptist
- Wichita – Christian Companion
- Wichita – Christian Helper
- Wichita – Christian Worker
- Wichita – Kansas Presbyterian
- Wichita – Primitive Christian
- Wichita – The Church Builder and Western Evangelist
- Wichita – Western Methodist
- Winfield – The Christian Herald
- Christlicher Bundesbote
Kentucky
- American Baptist (Louisville, Ky.) 1879-19??
- Blue-Grass Blade (Lexington, Ky.) 188?-19??
- Danville – Western Presbyterian
- Lexington – Blue-grass blade
- Lexington – Lexington record (The)
- Louisville – American Baptist
- Louisville – Christian observer (Louisville, Ky.)
- Louisville – Christian observer and free Christian commonwealth
- Louisville – Free Christian commonwealth
- Louisville – Presbyterian herald
- American Baptist (Louisville, Ky.)
- Christian Observer (Louisville, Ky.)
- Christian Observer And Free Christian Commonwealth
- Free Christian Commonwealth
- Louisville KY American Baptist
- Louisville KY Christian Cmmonwealth
- Louisville KY Western Presbyterian
- Western Luminary
- Baptist Argus/Baptist World
- Pentecostal Herald
Louisiana
- Baton Rouge Tri-Weekly Gazette & Comet (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??
- New Orleans Advocate
- New Orleans Christian Advocate
- Southwestern Christian Advocate
- Southwestern Christian Advocate
- Southwestern Advocate
Massachusetts
- Der Izraeliṭ = the Israelite (Providence, R.I.) 1895-189?
- Boston MA Christian Science Monitor
- Banner of the Church
- Christian Register
- Congregationalist
- The Watchman
Maryland
- Baltimore Commercial Journal, and Lyford’s Price-Current (Baltimore, MD) 1840-1849
- Church Advocate
- Lutheran Observer
Maine
- Daily Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975
- Christian Intelligencer and Eastern Chronicle (1827-1834) – Gardiner, Maine
- Christian Intelligencer and Eastern Chronicle
- Congregationalist
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
- Boon’s Lick Times (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848
- Fort Scott, Kansas – The Church Advocate and Holiness Banner
- Fort Scott, Kansas – The Church Herald and Holiness Banner
- Kansas City – The Central Christian Advocate
- St. Louis – Christian News
- St. Louis – Cumberland Presbyterian
- St. Louis – St. Louis Christian Advocate
- St. Louis – The Christian
- Evening & Morning Star
- Western Messenger
- Christian Evangelist
- Lutheran Witness
Mississippi
Montana
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New Jersey
Nevada
North Carolina
- Africo-American Presbyterian (Wilmington, N.C.) 1879-1938
- Africo-American Presbyterian (Wilmington, N.C.)
- Carolina Baptist (Hendersonville, N.C.)
- Church Messenger (Winston, N.C.)
- Gaston County Baptist Messenger (Gastonia, N.C.)
- North Carolina Baptist Missionary Worker (Raleigh, N.C.)
- North Carolina Baptist Sunday School Chautauquan (Raleigh, N.C.)
- North Carolina Christian Advocate (Raleigh, N.C.)
- The Baptist Messenger (Newton, N.C.)
- The Baptist Messenger (Wingate, N.C.)
- The Baptist Sunday School Monthly (Henderson, N.C.)
- The Baptist Worker (Gastonia, N.C.)
- The Blue Ridge Baptist (North Wilkesboro, N.C.)
- The Christian Educator (Durham, N.C.)
- The Christian Sun (Elon College, N.C.)
- The Christian Union (Rutherfordton, N.C.)
- The Free Will Baptist (Ayden, N.C.)
- The Helper (Wilmington, N.C.)
- The Stanly Baptist (Big Lick, N.C.)
- West Chowan Baptist Messenger (Winton, N.C.)
- Western North Carolina Baptist (Asheville, N.C.)
- Atlantic Christian College Student Newspaper
- Methodist University Student Newspaper
- Presbyterian Junior College Student Newspaper
- Highland Churchman
- NC Christian Advocate
- Carolina Baptist News
- Ashe Presbyterian
- Baptist Informer
- Biblical Recorder
- Primitive Baptist
- Zion’s Landmark
North Dakota
New Mexico
New York
- Der Morgen Zshurnal = Jewish Journal and Daily News (New York, N.Y.) 1938 to 1953 [4,361]
- Fayetteville Luminary, and Reformed Methodist Intelligencer
- Auburn NY Christian Advocate
- Auburn NY Christian Ambassador
- New York NY Christian Intelligencer
- New York NY Christian Intellingencer 1851-1854
- Gospel Advocate and Impartial Investigator
- Northern Christian Advocate
- Progressive Christian
- Methodist Reformer
- Family Journal and Christian Philanthropist
- American Messenger 1912-1921
- Christian Intelligencer 1920
- The Christian Work and the Evangelist 1881-1910
Ohio
- America (Cleveland, Ohio) 1905-Current
- Columbus – Ohio State Monitor – 1919-1920
- Dayton – Gospel Herald – 1859-1861
- Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church
- The Ohio State Monitor
- The Brethren’s Evangelist
- Western Christian Advocate
- Religious Telescope 1898-1908
- Oberlin Evangelist
Oklahoma
- Anadarko Daily Democrat (Anadarko, Okla.) 1908-191?
- Carter – Berwyn Light (Berwyn, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-191?
- Carter – The Baptist Rival (Ardmore, Oklahoma) ????-????
- Lincoln – The American Methodist (Stroud, Okla.) 1905-19??
- Logan – The Oklahoma Christian (Orlando and Guthrie, Okla.) 1896-190?
- Muskogee – Creek Baptist Herald (Muskogee, Okla.) 1911-191?
- Muskogee – The Baptist Informer (Muskogee, Okla.) 1909-19??
- Muskogee – The Baptist Sunday School Evangel (Muskogee, Indian Terr. [Okla.]) 1907-19??
- Oklahoma – Indian-Okla Methodist (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Territory) 18??-????
Oregon
- Ashland Tidings (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919
- Monmouth, Or., 1870-1877 – The Christian messenger.
- Monmouth, Or., 1877-1881 – Pacific Christian messenger.
- Portland ;, 1882-18?? – Christian herald.
Pennsylvania
- Amerikanski Srbobran (Pittsburg, Pa.; Pittsburgh, Pa.) 1906-Current
- The Christian Banner (Philadelphia, Pa.) 1888-19??
- American Presbyterian 1/5/1860 – 12/30/1869*
- Presbyterian Banner and Advocate 9/27/1856 – 3/3/1860*
- Presbyterian Banner 3/10/1860 – 9/14/1864*
- Philadelphia – The American Presbyterian.
- Pittsburgh – Presbyterian banner & advocate.
- Pittsburgh – Presbyterian banner.
- Christian Observer (Philadelphia) 1840-1850
- Philadelphia Christian Observer Newspaper
- Church Advocate
- Christian Ambassador
- Christliche Botschafter 1840-1849
- Christian Recorder 1861-1865, 1899-1901
- Christian recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
- Church Standard
- The Christian Recorder
- The Columbian Star and Christian Index 1829-1831
Rhode Island
- East Providence Eagle (East Providence, R.I.) 1882-191?
- Christian Telescope
- Christian Telescope and Universalist Miscellany
South Carolina
- The Abbeville Bulletin (Abbeville, S.C.) 1865-1865
- Southern Christian Advocate (Charleston, S.C.) 1837-1948
- The Working Christian (Yorkville, S.C.) 1869-1877
South Dakota
Tennessee
- Bristol News (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?
- Baptist Press news releases 1948-1996
- Christian Chronicle
- Tennessee Baptist/Baptist and Reflector
- The Baptist
Texas
- Brenham Weekly Banner (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907
- Bexar County, The San Antonio Messenger (San Antonio, Tex.) 1892-1893
- Dallas County, Cedar Hill Citizen (Cedar Hill, Tex.) 1971-1974
- Dallas County, The Christian Messenger (Bonham, Fannin County, Tex.) 1875-1???
- Dallas County, The Texas Christian Advocate 1854-1931
- Harris County, Annotations (Houston, Tex.) 19??-2???
- Mecklenburg County, NCAfrico-American Presbyterian (Wilmington, N.C.) 1879-1938
- Montague County, The Bowie Enterprise (Bowie, Tex.) 19??-????
- Nueces County, La Verdad (Corpus Christi, Tex.) 1942-????
- Parker County, The Texas Methodist (Weatherford, Tex.) 18??-????
- Throckmorton County, Throckmorton Herald (Throckmorton, Tex.) 1920-????
- Lone Star Lutheran
- Tennessee Baptist [Nashville, TN], 1861-1862
- Texas Baptist, 1858-June 7, 1861
Utah
- American Fork Citizen (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979
- Utah Christian Advocate
- 19th Century Mormon Article Newspaper Index
Virginia
- Alexandria Daily Advertiser (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808
- The Central Presbyterian (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908
- The Presbyterian of the South : [Combining the] Southwestern Presbyterian, Central Presbyterian, Southern Presbyterian (Atlanta, Ga.) 1909-1931
- Watchman and Observer or Central Presbyterian (Richmond, Va.) 18??-1855
- Afro-American Churchman (Petersburg, VA, 1886-1890)
- Baptist Union (Danville, VA, 1895-1914)
- Central Presbyterian (Richmond, VA, 1856-1908)
- Children’s Friend (Richmond, VA, 1865-1884)
- Christian Observer (Richmond, VA, 1860-1865)
- Christian Observer (Richmond, VA, 1863-1864)
- Church Advocate (Baltimore, MD, 1892-1893)
- Church Bells (Richmond, VA, 1893)
- Church News (Roanoke, VA, 1934)
- Junior Life (Richmond, VA, 1916-1917)
- Missionary Weekly (Richmond, VA, 1889-1890)
- Onward (Richmond, VA, 1913-1919)
- Our Church Paper (New Market, VA, 1875-1904)
- Our Sunday School (New Market, Shenandoah County, VA, 1881)
- Presbyterian of the South (Atlanta, GA, 1909-1922)
- Primitive Baptist (Tazewell C.H., VA, 1890)
- Religious Telegraph and Observer (Philadelphia, PA, 1839)
- Richmond Christian Advocate (Richmond, VA, 1841-1868)
- Roanoke Baptist Union (Danville, VA, 1888-1894)
- Southern Religious Telegraph (Richmond, VA, 1830-1839)
- Tazewell Baptist (Tazewell C.H., VA, 1890)
- Tazewell Baptist (Tazewell, VA, 1890)
- Virginia Conference Sentinel (Richmond, VA, 1836-1837)
- Visitor and Telegraph (Richmond, VA, 1827-1829)
- Watchman and Observer or Central Presbyterian (Richmond, VA, 1855)
- Watchman and Observer (Richmond, VA, 1845-1855)
- Watchman of the South (Richmond, VA, 1837-1845)
- Madison Hall Notes
Vermont
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
5 replies on “Historical U.S. Free Online Protestant Newspapers”
Thank you.
Thanks for providing this great, informative blog! Three of the Georgia papers on this page don’t have links. Will those be added eventually?
The Baptist Inquirer…published in New York during late 1800’s?
Husbands god Robert Brady publisher. Unable to locate any digital copies or where original copies located.
Thank You!
There are many copies of The Primitive Baptist, published in North Carolina, on archive.org.
Thanks Sharon. I’ll check it out and add to the list