Successes

Thank you, Internet! I started this blog to help identify family photos I inherited from a beloved great aunt. Since first posting the photos (that belonged to my great-great-great grandmother) about three years ago, I have had a few successes along the road and I've connected with several distant cousins I wouldn't have found otherwise.

A few weeks ago I heard from one of said cousins, who had been looking through family photos of his own and comparing them with those I posted. Suddenly, we had another match! Photo 44 from Grandma Sabin's Archives is now identified as Oliver and Mariah (Sabin) Swezey!

The photos Derek (the distant cousin) sent me for comparison are posted at left. This is exactly the kind of sleuthing I was hoping would come from this blog. The lesson remains simple: NEVER GIVE UP!

On a related note, this week I attended the annual dinner of the Elgin Historical Society. I only knew a few people there, but was glad to be a part of a historical society connected to so much of my family roots. I told the woman seated next to me how grateful I was that the society allowed me to scan some of the photos at their museum, specifically citing the photo of the Shaffer Drum Corps and the storied history of that group.

"Oh! You know something about that?" she exclaimed. "We received that from someone who used to go to a lot of auctions. We didn't know anything about the drum corps!" Now, I'm gathering the many, many newspaper articles I have on the corps, including its history and details about its many performances. The historical society will then be able to have that available for anyone who wants to know more. I'm glad to help!

Of course, through all of it I couldn't stop thinking "THIS PHOTO WAS AT AN AUCTION!?" I don't understand how treasured family history can so often end up in a box of "miscellany" at estate sales. It breaks my heart.

That's why I'll never stop!

Happy searching...