National Intelligencer

The National Intelligencer & Washington Advertiser was the first newspaper printed in Washington, DC. The Library of Congress owns the microfilm of the newspaper from it's first issue of October 3, 1800. Our library owns 7 volumes of the abstracts created by Joan M. Dixon beginning with 1800 and running through 1846. Should you check it even if you don't have evidence of your ancestors having lived in DC? Probably. DC was our nation's capital so there are names of  individuals from any number of places. As I look through the one for 1800-1805 I see mention of Vermont, Massachusetts, various US ships' crews, Virginia, a dead Revolutionary War general, Maryland, Charleston, SC, Detroit, MI, and Georgia. "The abstracts are advertisements, appointments by the President, House of Representatives petitions, passed acts, legal notices, marriages, deaths, social events, tax lists, military promotions, court cases, prisoners and maritime information." An explanation of the abbreviations used in the newspaper at that time are included in the front of the books. You can find these resources at R Gen 929.3753 DIX.