Capturing Character in Print

In the area of Massachusetts where I grew up, many of the old tombstones told the entire story of the person beneath the sod. Obituaries have since replaced the chisled bio and have their own history. Some older ones reference the "old country" or lost relatives on the frontier, hoping to pass the sad news (eventually) when other papers pick up the text. These days, there are online tribute sites (e.g., Legacy.com) where people can post their condolences and photos.

I've heard several relatives of mine bemoan the cost of an obituary. But most people write one anyway. I've read versions that range from "Just the Facts" to "TMI." Perhaps the point is to communicate what is easy to say about the departed. If we couldn't talk about them nicely (let alone to their face), we might spare as many words as possible - hoping to send them off quietly. On the other hand, sometimes it is hard to express just how much someone means to those that are left behind.

Last week I found a great example of how families can work together to capture the unique character and special memories of their loved ones who have passed away. The obituary, described as the 'Best Obituary Ever', may not win any Pulitzer Prizes - but it speaks volumes for the descendants of the person it describes. Many of us would love to find such gems in our searches for relatives!

We should strive to find a way to document the lives of those we research, leaving a trail of clues for those who follow us. As you develop your family history, remember to "flesh out" each person as though they just departed. You can find details all over the web and assemble them into the story they only dreamed someone would tell. Happy hunting!

Preservation Projects

On the way to work each morning, I often find interesting genealogy tidbits in the morning paper. This week, I read about a woman who spearheaded development of a Civil War Honor Roll for a local cemetery. Her efforts are a great example of how one person can make a difference for the rest of the genealogists out there - one transcription project at a time.

Shaking the Family Tree - for Money!

Most of us are not researching our family to prove that we are entitled to money - but that is the goal of some professional genealogists. In some estate cases, a decedant has no immediate family. Relationships are then researched to determine who is the closest living relative. A good example of this type of situation is described in this story.

I've successfully used the following resources to identify relatives:

JohnHancock.com
MissingMoney.com
New York State Comptroller

Each site was designed by private (and public) entities that wish to locate people who either owe money or are entitled to refunds.

I should mention that I've never attempted to get any money through this process. However, I suspect that caution should be taken while using these sites - if you contact the entity that is looking to give away money, you may find that you become the person who is asked to resolve someone else's money issue!

Who knows? Maybe YOU are connected to long-lost money... Happy hunting!

The Unknown Soldier

My visits to National Battlefields have always been meaningful, mainly for how they remind us of the sacrifices of our veterans (including many that never returned). One of the most memorable "Unknowns" I've encountered was Amos Humiston. His story provides a small glimpse into the work required for any genealogist who wishes to find out where one of their War Dead may be interred.

This story describes the efforts of one man who wanted to see his fallen comrades return home. The 91-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor has spent the last 20 years cataloging the unidentified dead from the Japanese attack on Hawaii on December 7, 1941. There were once several hundred Unknowns, each buried in a grave in the "Punchbowl" at the National Cemetery of the Pacific (I was fortunate enough to be able to visit that site in 2009 - it was sobering to see the rows of stones, each flat against the ground, that filled the caldera of an extinct volcano). This veteran was not content to leave them there - he prodded the government to provide additional details until stones could be properly marked (with ship names) and additional data provided that connected people to their lost brothers, sons and fathers.

In the post New Year's Resolutions (2012), I discussed one goal of transcribing a source record that could provide assistance to another researcher. Perhaps that is all that most people could ever hope to do for their fellow genealogists. However, you can see here that there are often folks in this world who see such an effort as just a starting point. Following their inspiration, go out there and look for a cemetery with tall grass and start transcribing! Happy hunting...

Preserving Photos

After my extended family departed from our Thanksgiving celebration, a series of group photos began to appear in my email and on social media sites we all share. We have become accustomed to having a large picture (it gets harder as the family grows) each year. One of my jobs (as the family historian) has been to file these pictures and identify them for future reference. For that reason, I have learned several lessons about the task of preserving photographic memories.

The first lesson, probably, is that you can never have enough back-ups for digital photos. My sister just had her laptop stolen - and it had all her pictures stored on it. I can't emphasize how important it is to store these types of photos in several places (CDs, DVDs, portable hard drives - or printed copies!). Remember, electronic media degrade over time. If you are preserving photos, you may also want to take the time to back up your videos and Audio Genealogy Records,

For older photos, it is crucial that they be protected from the elements. You could probably save yourself some frustration if you scan old photos and store them (in another place) electronically - just in case you are the victim of a some kind of water/wind/fire disaster. There are also several important steps you may need to take to protect the originals (e.g., acid-free albums, etc.).

Additional tools and resources can be found at the sites below:

AARP.org
Heritage Photographs
Minnesota Historical Society

Use your photos to augment the information in your (text) family history. As always, happy hunting!