Past family relationships (search, certificate, estate, DNA)
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I recently received pictures, legal documents, and letters from a deceased family member's estate. Amazing stuff. I never met my great grandparents much less my great-great-great grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. Almost all the ancient pictures I received are labeled with names, dates, and relationships to my grandparents. These documents tell a story for over four generations on one side of my family.
Do you know your grandparents', parents' names? I didn't...well I did by the genealogy some family members had done, but no connection by photos or letters. Gratefully, I do now. My kids were excited. Reading their letters and those they received were an amazing insight into their personalities.
It is interesting history. In fact, one of my long-time friends of 40 years turned out to be a distant cousin as we share a relative!
Last edited by texan2yankee; 10-20-2017 at 06:46 PM..
I never really cared about our past family members, tottsieanna. The letters and photos made these people real to us. The letters especially. They showed our family members' personalities. No one writes letters anymore and family members will no longer have that insight.
Maternal side: yes...and its fascinating to visit my great Uncle who has the items...Be it the war letters, memorabilia, or even some of the old land titles . Grave marker diagrams, and baptism pages....
My Bio dads side of the family. Know the names. but not their history. Maybe some day I'll do that research.
I agree, handwritten letters have lost interest in todays society...yet I have kept so many ...and will hope my kids see the value of such thoughtfilled words...
[snip] I have kept so many [letters] ...and will hope my kids see the value of such thoughtfilled words...
They will. They certainly will. As will the generations who read your letters after your kids. The old family letters are incredible to me. I relate to these relatives of 100 years ago by their crumpled and discolored letters.... as strange as that may seem.
Absolutely no idea. I know where my birthmom was born, and what high school she went to, that's it. I have a 23 and Me profile that kind of shows geographic locations of people my DNA is like and their degree of separation, but that's it.
Adoptive mom and dad:
I know back to the greats. I'm 2 generations from gettin' off the boat.
I recently received pictures, legal documents, and letters from a deceased family member's estate. Amazing stuff. I never met my great grandparents much less my great-great-great grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. Almost all the ancient pictures I received are labeled with names, dates, and relationships to my grandparents. These documents tell a story for over four generations on one side of my family.
Do you know your grandparents', parents' names? I didn't...well I did by the genealogy some family members had done, but no connection by photos or letters. Gratefully, I do now. My kids were excited. Reading their letters and those they received were an amazing insight into their personalities.
It is interesting history. In fact, one of my long-time friends of 40 years turned out to be a distant cousin as we share a relative!
Location: Foothills of Maryland Blue Ridge mountains
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Originally Posted by texan2yankee
I recently received pictures, legal documents, and letters from a deceased family member's estate. Amazing stuff. I never met my great grandparents much less my great-great-great grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. Almost all the ancient pictures I received are labeled with names, dates, and relationships to my grandparents. These documents tell a story for over four generations on one side of my family.
Do you know your grandparents', parents' names? I didn't...well I did by the genealogy some family members had done, but no connection by photos or letters. Gratefully, I do now. My kids were excited. Reading their letters and those they received were an amazing insight into their personalities.
It is interesting history. In fact, one of my long-time friends of 40 years turned out to be a distant cousin as we share a relative!
I love this. I’m genuinely pleased for you. What a treasure!
I have all of our old family photos and documents, 5 generations. Some photos dating back to 1865, taken in Norway before relatives left for America. Many are of 1870s, 1880s Seattle.
I love this. I’m genuinely pleased for you. What a treasure!
I have all of our old family photos and documents, 5 generations. Some photos dating back to 1865, taken in Norway before relatives left for America. Many are of 1870s, 1880s Seattle.
Hand printed wedding certificates from the 1800s, WWI documents, death notices from the Civil War era, letters from WWII family members, even a document written by a relative about their grueling covered wagon trip West to settle in Texas!! How much these things will mean to future generations....all because those before us kept them for future generations. These papers will make these past family relationships live for future generations.
It's wonderful you have all of that saved, thanks for sharing.
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