I get surprised when people don't know things about

[Marthe48]

recent generations. I'm in the process of asking my husband's surviving family members if it is okay to use the grave site in the family plot for his marker. I'm in a group conversation, and went off-topic when one of the cousins mentioned they are living where my husband's cousin had lived. I knew the place and asked if there was an old anvil in the garage, because it had belonged to their grandfather and maybe his father before him. Turns out that it is still in the family, in another location, but they didn't know it was a family heirloom.

[ret5hd]

1. Try pinning that heirloom on your lapel.

[Marthe48]

2. hahaha

I had my Dad's meat block for years, finally had my sister take it, don't know where it ended up. At the time, I wished that my family had collected stocks and bonds! lol

[Bayard]

3. I have my grandfather's WWI wool Army blanket

Like so many other things though, I don't know what will happen to it after I'm gone.

[Marthe48]

5. It's important to you

I have many family heirlooms, and I treasure them. I remember knowing the relatives who owned them, or being told stories about those people, so the link is there for me. Going to sales, I see that most families let stuff go when the previous generation passes.

I hang on to things knowing that I need and want them, but after I go, I doubt much will stay in the family. And that's fine.

For your blanket, maybe you could see if a local museum would want it. The fabric stuff doesn't usually last long and examples are treasured

[Wingus Dingus]

4. In my experience, if there's any monetary value to heirlooms, then

some family members will surprise you by knowing all about it in advance, and will be ready to collect, like vultures, as soon as the funeral's over. That's how my husband's sister ended up with things like their grandmother's jewelry (which she later told everyone had been "stolen in a break-in"--yeah right, we're pretty sure she sold or pawned it) and some of their grandfather's antique guns.

She got these items by apparently having the gall to announce "Grandma told me privately she wanted me to have these items when she died" and although no one believed her, no one had the cojones to push back. My husband had no idea or expectation that any of the grandchildren were getting anything at all out of the estate--there were more than two dozen grandchildren, his grandparents were not well-off, and he just assumed his grandmother's surviving middle-aged children would get whatever there was. He only found out about his sister's looting years later.

[Marthe48]

6. That hurts when it happens

I ended up with alot of stuff because I was the only survivor who owned a house. I make sure the next generations know which are heirlooms, which are gifts given to me or my husband, and what stuff is up for grabs because we collected it.

[CrispyQ]

7. I have a box of family photos & a family tree my grandmother researched

& no one in the family wants either. I don't have kids, so who knows what will happen to it all?

It's nice the anvil was still in the family & they were able to learn something of its past.

[Marthe48]

8. Possibilities

I try to research geneaology, and don't get far. I knew my g-grandmother got remarried and had 8 children with her 2nd husband. So I have extended family out there. Last Th. I passed along the names of the other people buried in the same plot to my brother-in-law. He checked and found a whole new branch of his family he wasn't aware of. In that way, you might find a relative who would like to have your treasures.

If your records aren't digital, you might think of getting that done. You can save it on a CD, and share it easier. Sell the photos after you scan them. I have bought family hotos and sold them, but not my own. I'll leave them for the next generation.

The other idea is to contact your local history museum, if you have one. Our city and county really respect the past and have numerous records of local families and organizations. They might like to see what you have. If you and your family moved from another location, that place might like to see your records.

I realized from this last weekend that with the Internet, and access to resources, it'll be easier and easier to look up our family history. When I was at the cemetery, in spite of its age, the records are all still on paper, no computer records. That, too will continue, untill people have time or inclination to create databases in all of our cities and states.

[Boomerproud]

9. No one but me in my immediate family is interested in genealogy

but I have met 2 distant cousins thru Rootsweb so that's good. It's fun and if you're a history buff like me it's a great hobby and you learn how your ancestors are intertwined with history.

[Marthe48]

10. I got back in touch with my cousin

after many years of separation, we are catching up with each other. I dabble in geneaology, and have been trying to locate paternal great-grandparents' birthplace.

My cousin has been searching my Mom's side, and extended her search into Europe. It is family in common and enjoy seeing any new information.

[Boomerproud]

11. Thank you for your reply Marthe.

It's a little addictive when you break through a brick wall and eye-rolling when you find out that a story that has been passed down through generations is fiction. Lol. Have a great Thanksgiving.🦃