69 Years Ago Traverse City Woman Finds Husband Through Newspaper

This woman was "online" dating before the internet was even a thing!

Now this is what we would like to call being resourceful. While today, many relationships start online, back in 1951 Margaret Ealy used an earlier form of social media...newspapers!

According to a post by Vickie Lynn on the "ALL ABOUT MICHIGAN HISTORY, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE" Facebook group and Michigan Day By Day, on this day (November 20th) in 1951, it all started when Margaret Ealy was featured in a front-page story for the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

The story was all about how at 39 years old, Ealy not only wanted a husband, but wanted “a husband who will be a good father” for her son that was five years old at the time.

It featured a big photo of her and her requirements in men below it. Much like your bio on your dating profile. Margaret was looking for a man who:

Wasn't any particular age
Was preferably a "Protestant College Graduate"
Liked children

Well those requests were not all-too demanding as the story gained national attention and just one day after the paper was published, Miss Margaret already had three available men reaching out.

Michigan Day By Day says this could have very well been the first personal ad in the entire country and papers like the Ludington Daily News began reporting how they would also like to hop on the bandwagon.

In an article published November 28th, 1951 titled "A New Way To Find A Husband" Ludington Daily News raved about how unfortunate it is out there for unwed singles and offered their services:

"In conclusion, our commercial instinct requires us to assure every unmarried person in Mason County that The Daily News is a very productive advertising medium and that the rates for personal advertising are quite modest."

Turns out, in Margaret's case, it absolutely worked! You go girl!

She married a Mr. William Colteson six months after the ad, though Michigan Day By Day does note that it is unclear if their union was the result of the ad or not.

All in all, if you are out there, single and desperate enough, make like Margaret and get yourself a guy...or gal...we don't judge!

Of course, now all it takes is an email and maybe a phone number and you can get hitched through apps/websites like Tinder, Match, and even hyper-specific mediums like FarmersOnly!

Interested in more fun from Michigan's past, check out some of these awesome photos: