Usually, I’m talking to people who are trying to find their ancestors both near and distant.  Usually, I’m encouraging them to seek out the older generations  in their families (before it’s too late!) to get to the bottom of family stories, ask the right questions, seek out diaries, letters, photos…anything that may help shed light on what might prove to be a fascinating family history.

Today, I had the opportunity to talk to that generation, the older generation.  My message was largely, be cooperative!  Tell the stories….even it some of them make you uncomfortable!  You might be the only person that knows about Uncle Harry’s first wife, the one that “no one talks about!”  I am somewhat fortunate in that the “treasures” that I’ve gleaned from my own family members are not only uniqie, but tell some very interesting stories themselves.  Today, I showed an article from the Springfield Union of January 4, 1887.  I found it at www.genealogybank.com. It describes a train wreck in the West Springfield, MA freight yard.  One man was killed, several injured and a great deal of the cargo was desctroyed in the resulting fire.  This incident is of particluar interest to me.  I have a letter about spoons.  Yes, spoons!  Auntie Perham (I haven’t figured out who she is exactly, but that’s another blog another day!) sent my Great Grandmother Tuggey a letter about spoons. I quote her here: “I sent you the spoons nearly two weeks since & I don’t hear anything  I think perhaps they were on the train that was smashed near Springfield.”  She had shipped them “Express” with a value of $25.  So I’m not sure if she was worried about the spoons or any potential claim for a loss!  Otherwise, why would she have mentioned the insurance?

At any rate, no one needs to worry about the spoons…I brought them with me to the presentation to show everyone how sometimes a few things in that old box in the attic can tell an interesting story: The article about the wreck, the letter from Auntie Perham and the velvet lined box of spoons.  I think it makes a great little family story!

Shipped to Enfield, Massachusetts from Oswego, New York in 1887