SolveYourProblem eLearning Series: Geneology
My Family Tree is Important to Me
( 50 articles in this series )

Can Family Heirlooms Provide Genealogy Hints?
   

Genealogy research can be a huge undertaking. If you are new to the world of genealogy research, most experts recommend starting in the family home. Once there, you should start examining the pieces you find that have been handed down.

You should be looking at heirlooms, gifts, and papers that have been come from previous generations. These things can give you little bits of information about your relatives from the past and their lives. They can also help to give you some context in which to start your research. When you begin this search, it is important not to overlook anything, as items can have dates or manufacturer's stamps that can help you identify places and dates. These relics can also help you understand your relatives in the context of time in terms of their tastes and social status within their time period.

One good heirloom source is clothing from your ancestors. Clothing like wedding dresses and military uniforms can help demonstrate your relatives' sizes. They can also provide a key to the fashions of the time your ancestors lived. Things like military uniforms can give you clues of where to find further information like military records. For example, if you find a World War I uniform, it might be a clue that you need to look at the military records office located in St. Louis instead of the one located in Washington D.C.

Furniture can be a good indicator of social status. Pieces that are ornately engraved and hand carved are a good clue to the fact that your ancestors were well-off in terms of finances. Simple homemade pieces might indicate that your ancestors were humble people who had very little. Some pieces might even tell the story of a journey across the country by rail or by covered wagon.

Jewelry is another good story teller. It is likely to be engraved and, therefore, provide some dating clues. It is also a very good indication of social status. For example, if the only piece of jewelry your great grandmother ever owned was her wedding ring, it is likely that they could afford little more than that single piece that she treasured. If, however, you find extensive amounts of jewelry, one of two things is possible. First, perhaps your ancestors were wealthy enough to invest in several jewelry pieces. The other possibility here is that what you have is a collection of inexpensive pieces because someone in the family enjoyed jewelry.

Books and letters can provide some clue as to the educational status of your family members. Letters can be a great source of family history. They can speak the voices from so long ago like nothing else. It is possible to see how your ancestors spoke to one another through a valuable treasure like letters.

Toys and other kinds of collectibles can provide some level of understanding as to the popular past times of the period you are researching. They can serve as a telling document and understanding of what your ancestors enjoyed as hobbies.

Once you've located the heirlooms that are valuable to your research, be sure to store them properly. Light, temperature changes in any extreme, insects, moisture, dust, and mold are all real problems with object storage. Be sure to choose a storage location and container that is free from these problems. If you choose poorly, you are likely to do more damage to the object than was done before you found it. Before you do any sort of cleaning or displaying, be sure that you know how to best care for the type of object you are dealing with. Sometimes simply handling an object can destroy it. Do a bit of research on how best to deal with your particular object or consult a conservator. This is especially the case if the object has already been damaged. Once you've determined how to handle the object, clean it carefully, and choose the best method of display for it.

One final note is to be sure to let relatives know, whether in person or on paper, a little about the object. Let them know where you found it, what it is, who it belonged to, and its approximate value. After all, the secret treasure shouldn't go to the grave with you as it did with your ancestors.

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by SolveYourProblem.com : 2006

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