Searching for names and dates is rewarding, but family history truly comes alive when you hold in your hands a brush used by your great-grandmother, a photograph of your grandparents on their wedding day, or an antique writing desk where your great, great-grandfather once sat. Not all of us are so lucky to have such family treasures in our possession, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. Try one of these five places for digging up a few mementos from your past!
While your grandparents, parents and siblings may not know of a family bible or other treasure, that doesn't mean they aren't still in the family. I've found old photos, a family bible, and even have word of the chest of a early 18th century ancestor - all in the hands of descendants I didn't previously know existed. One advantage of tracing your family tree down through all descendants of your distant ancestors, is that you'll uncover relatives with all sorts of information and treasures!
From family bibles and local history books, to school yearbooks and original birth certificates, bits of genealogical treasure make a regular appearance on eBay. There is a lot of junk there too - reproduced family group sheets, CD-Roms, coats of arms, and the like. But if you're patient, you may just find an old family quilt, photograph or other family treasure.
Old photo albums, postcards, jewelry and other family items with value to collectors often end up in the local antique store. Antique dealers often buy up such treasures cheaply at estate sales, or sell them on commission for family members looking to make a little money off the contents of Grandma's attic. Antique stores near where your ancestors lived may hold all sorts of buried treasure - if not that of your own family, at least bits and pieces of the town's history.
Reunite with family photos by searching the Internet! Digitized vintage photos can be found online in a variety of collections and databases. Some sites such as DeadFred and Ancient Faces contain family photos uploaded by others, while collections posted by museums, archives and historical societies contain photos of people and places from every walk of life. Be sure to search by location as well as name, for pictures of military units, class photos, and scenes of your ancestor's home town.
If your family hasn't lived there for more than 200 years this may not apply, but houses and land where your ancestors once lived sometimes include bits and pieces of their past. If nothing else, you can bring home a rock from the old house's foundation. People living in the home may even have turned up interesting items in closets or the attic. Estate and deed records can help tell you how long the property has been out of the family, as well as disposition of family belongings.
