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The Christmases of my childhood were rather simple affairs. Our tree was always a cedar tree, cut fr…

Yes, You Van

In last year’s Christmas card, we explained that after experiencing the realities of towing a …

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artofrecollection

🕵️‍♀️Family History blogger ~ 2009
👩‍💻 WordPress web design/support ~ 2017
🔎Encouraging you to find & share your family's story

Handwritten notes on photos - the metadata of the

Handwritten notes on photos - the metadata of the past - are always greatly appreciated. And now that I have more name recognition than I did when I started this project, I am able to add details to these antique photos providing context for ourselves and our future generations.

This photo is my husband's great grandaunt, Josie, with her nieces, Laverna and Iva Chase.

👉 Josie's sister, Carrie, is my husband's great-grandmother.
👉 Josie's other sister, Ruth, married Carlos Chase.
👉 Laverna Chase was born in 1887.
👉 Iva Chase was born in 1891.
👉 Laverna married Benjamin Hall.
👉 Iva married Somebody Anderson. 😄

There. That helps bring Ray's handwritten notes into greater focus. 🔎❤️

Next: Finding the actual name of Somebody Anderson. 😄🕵️‍♀️
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#telltheirstories #lifestories #savefamilyphotos #memorykeeper #familiesareforever #familyhistory #familystories #familyhistoryresearch #oldphoto #familysearch #ancestors #vintage #vintagephoto #artofrecollection #genealogyphotoaday #myheritage #research #genealogyresearch #genealogyphoto #heritage #familytree #ancestry #familyhistorian #vernacularphoto #memorykeeping #familyalbum #photomemories

I am going through a box of papers - seemingly uni

I am going through a box of papers - seemingly unimportant odds and ends. Often I don't know how the information fits into the family's story. Is it important enough to continue to save? Or not?

This photo was labeled "Farm Club County Fair". It was already in an album, so as I recreated the pages, I kept the photo, even though I didn't appreciate the significance.

Then in the box of papers I found handwritten-by-Goldie minutes from the Center Creek Farm Club. They had a business meeting during which they "voted [a husband and wife] to membership in the club". They also voted to purchase 3 dozen songbooks @ 1.80 per dozen, to exchange programs with other nearby clubs, and to donate $10 to Girls Co. Club work. Following the business meeting was their program during which "Pres. Golly of Square Deal Club gave a few interesting remarks."

What made the minutes even more fun was that Goldie recorded them on the back of a letter from a local Ford dealer advertising the Model A dated April 16, 1929.

The dealer's letter opens with an attention-getter. He writes, "Did you ever eat any bologna smothered in applesauce? There's no bologna about this nor applesauce, either." 😂

And on that appetizing thought ...

(Swipe to see the letter. 😄😄😄)
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#telltheirstories #lifestories #savefamilyphotos #memorykeeper #familiesareforever #familyhistory #familystories #familyhistoryresearch #oldphoto #familysearch #ancestors #vintage #vintagephoto #artofrecollection #genealogyphotoaday #myheritage #research #genealogyresearch #genealogyphoto #heritage #familytree #ancestry #familyhistorian #farmclub #vernacularphoto #memorykeeping #familyalbum #photomemories

Even though this isn't a "100 years ago" family hi

Even though this isn't a "100 years ago" family history, it is part of my history.

Over the weekend I went through an art portfolio I had saved from my mother's studio as we were preparing her house for sale. I had completely forgotten she had kept this poster (👈 swipe). However, as soon as I pulled it out of the portfolio, I remember her showing it to me shortly before she died, reminding me that I had made some posters for our senior class play, and telling me she had saved this for me. 🥰

I wrote an explanation on the back of the poster and returned it to the portfolio but not before sitting and reminiscing about how much fun it was to be in the play and how thoughtful it was of Mama to save this.

Then I remembered having the notebook she used in school from 1944-49. In it is a program from a community play/musical in which she was the pianist and (surprise!) My aunt was one of the chorus girls.

I am certain these "chorus girls" were girls singing in the chorus, however, as I sip my morning coffee, I'm imagining my (now 92 year old) aunt in a chorus line.... ❤️💃
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#telltheirstories #lifestories #savefamilyphotos #memorykeeper #familiesareforever #familyhistory #familystories #familyhistoryresearch #oldphoto #familysearch #ancestors #vintage #vintagephoto #artofrecollection #genealogyphotoaday #myheritage #research #genealogyresearch #genealogyphoto #heritage #familytree #ancestry #familyhistorian #memorykeeping #familyalbum #photomemories

I thought I recalled seeing postcards from N.Yakim

I thought I recalled seeing postcards from N.Yakima, Washington in my in-law's collection of memorabilia. And I was right!!!

Before discovering the newspaper articles about the family moving to Yakima to work in the fields, these postcards didn't seem to have a great deal of family history value. Don't get me wrong - the very fact that the family collected cards tells its own story, but the significance of Yakima was lost on me. (And my in-laws). No more.

Now the name "Yakima" immediately brings to mind the years 1904 and 1906 - the years in which the two families made the journey from Minnesota to Washington. I can instantly call to mind the family photos of the family group that moved first and the family that followed a few years later.

You can probably guess where you'll find me this weekend...carefully, oh so gently, peeking at the backs of the cards, searching for hidden clues. 🕵️‍♀️🥰

Family history ----> solving mysteries. 🔎
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#telltheirstories #lifestories #savefamilyphotos #memorykeeper #familiesareforever #familyhistory #familystories #familyhistoryresearch #oldphoto #familysearch #ancestors #vintage #vintagephoto #artofrecollection #genealogyphotoaday #myheritage #research #genealogyresearch #genealogyphoto #heritage #familytree #ancestry #familyhistorian #memorykeeping #familyalbum #photomemories

There are a few hundred photos mounted in albums i

There are a few hundred photos mounted in albums in my in-laws collection. Then there are some loose photos - this being one of them.

The note written on the back simply says, "Mansfield teacher". Might as well label it "Mansfield School Photo Mystery". I will be contacting local historical societies for help, but till then ...

That worried little boy, front row, second from left, sure does look like my Grandpa-in-law, Ray. If that is him, then the photo was taken about 1904.

Even when I can't identify the people, when I hold a photo like this, I feel like I'm holding a piece of history. 🥰
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#telltheirstories #lifestories #savefamilyphotos #memorykeeper #familiesareforever #familyhistory #familystories #familyhistoryresearch #oldphoto #familysearch #ancestors #vintage #vintagephoto #artofrecollection #vernacularphoto #genealogyphotoaday #myheritage #research #genealogyresearch #genealogyphoto #heritage #familytree #ancestry #familyhistorian #memorykeeping #familyalbum #photomemories

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