Family photographs. What do you do with them when there’s no one in your immediate family to hand them down to?
I’m frequently asked that question, and I’m faced with the same problem.
First, figure out who in your extended family might be interested. Sort the photographs you have by family branch or at least by each grandparent’s side. You really should not offer photos to someone who isn’t kin at all because they will surely toss them. You might need to pick the most responsible representative in each branch.
The main point is, you need to develop a plan. Know who on each family branch should get the photos, contact them and begin your sorting. Label your stacks, in case you don’t finish and others have to.
I have a cousin who has reconnected. She descends from a great-grandmother’s sister and is interested in sharing photos. She has copied some key ones, and she wants me to share some. Do I send her originals and say, the ball is in your court? Or scan and show her what I have? Sharing is a good way to see if other relatives may have the same photo and can identify the people. If you note a photography studio’s name and exact address, then check online city directories, it could help identify the approximate time the photo was taken and possibly identify those in the photo if you have the approximate ages of children, etc.
Family Tree DNA has updated
FamilyTreeDNA.com recently updated its DNA matches results pages. It has renamed and rearranged features, giving the website a whole new look in many areas. So if you have DNA results there, check them out. It is the only company for Y-DNA and mtDNA testing.
Family nicknames
Make a list of family nicknames and the real names of the people for your genealogy files so that future generations will know who you are referring to.
Contact Kenneth H. Thomas Jr., P.O. Box 901, Decatur, Ga., 30031, or www.kenthomasongenealogy.com.
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