IDENTIFYING PHOTOGRAPHS

GENEALOGY - PART IX

Pictures Tell A Story . . .

Don't you love it when you find an old picture? Maybe it's one of your grandpa or his grandma or one of the siblings. Any way you look at it, it's a treasure.

Chicago, IL

If we're lucky, an old photo may have names scribbled on the back but if we're not, then the picture itself may offer clues that can help you figure out who, when, and where.

Don't be too quick to use an obvious clue, such as this car, to date a picture. No matter how new the car may appear, it's not a reliable source and neither is clothing. Clothing and transportation will help to establish an era but you'll need more information before determining a date. Actually, the best you may be able to offer on any photo is a span of time from 18xx-19xx unless you have some family history from which to draw a conclusion.

For example, if it's a photo of a family with children, count the kids. Identify how many are male or female. Guesstimate their ages. Then look at your family charts to see who is close to these kids in age (maybe with one or two children not yet born). We had a similar scenario in our family recently. Because the mother was dressed in mourning black, we were able to surmise this family picture was taken in the early 1890s. She was not mourning the death of her husband, he was in the picture. It was her mother. It may seem odd to have a picture taken at such a time but, actually, it was a common practice back then. Most people did not own a camera (hard to believe in this day of "selfies") and many families only gathered for special occasions, therefore, families relied on travelling photographers to take pictures during special occasions. By the turn of the century, photography studios were becoming very popular in big cities and family portraits became a popular gift to send back to the old country to show how well the family in America was doing.

But back to the picture accompanying this post. I wanted to point out the difference in the size of the tires on the picture above. It made me wonder . . . is that how it was built? Look how the back wheels torque outward. Is that to get traction on muddy roads? That musing may have helped ID the photo . . . because it determined the road conditions of the communities in that era. I have to admit, I already knew the picture was taken in Chicago. The backdrop is a familiar landmark. But for now, it was a matter of checking volumes of records at the Chicago Historical Society on the history of city roads. I learned there was a certain period of time when few roads in downtown Chicago were improved for the automobile. Most roads in town and the surrounding area were still dirt. Another monumental transition was from horse to horseless buggy and from the condition of the road in front of the car, it's safe to say this picture was taken during that transition period. So, was the building coincidence? Infamous? Germane to dating this picture?

The background, meaning the building itself, offers many clues. For instance, the large livery door may indicate that it's still a working stable. The "Lincoln" signs on both sides of the door is another massive clue . . . I've seen this building before, in the paper. I believe this building is on Clark Street on Chicago's north side where the St. Valentine's Day massacre (orchestrated by Al Capone) took place.

We may have found the why to taking this picture. Keep in mind that often times, tourists will stop at famous or infamous places for a photo op. I think this may have been the case with this picture. Because I know who was driving the car, I was able to check other records to see if he was living in America or visiting from his homeland. This also helped us close in on a date! In summary, it takes more than one document to understand the history of a picture.

Here are five points to help organize a successful hunt:

1. CHECK THE BACK OF THE PHOTO - Look for notes, names, any information that may be on the back of the photo. Make a copy of it along with the photo and pass it around to the elders in your family. Someone may know something and be able to help you identify the picture.
2. TALK TO FAMILY - They may have a copy of the same picture with a different note on the back. DO NOT WRITE on the photo itself, though. The paper will be very delicate and, I'm sure, you'd like to pass the picture on to future generations with whatever history you may be able to glean.
3. SCAN THE BACKGROUND - Does anything look familiar? Any identifying buildings? Landmarks? Advertising?
4. SCAN THE FOREGROUND - Are people sitting around the dining room table? Do you recognize the china? Teapot? Grandma's pearls? Who has them now?
5. LOOK FOR PERSONAL ITEMS - If it's in a home, look at the artwork. Does something look familiar? Maybe something was painted or sculpted by the person in the photo. Recognize the percolator? A watch or necklace that was a gift for a special occasion?

Yes, it's a wonderful treasure to have a picture of a beloved relative but once you look beyond the face staring back at you, allow yourself to be caught up in the history . . . the mood of the world at the time it was taken . . . the personal circumstances that led to the picture in the first place. This may turn a frozen image into a living piece of family history.

Jo Ann V. Glim is a 40 year veteran of freelance writing and author of the Book "Begotten With Love." To learn more:

FOLLOW/Like: on Facebook or

VISIT: www.BEGOTTENtheBook.com

AVAILABLE ON: Amazon.com/author/joannglim
BOOK TRAILER on YouTube 

SETTING the RECORD STRAIGHT

GENEALOGY - PART VIII
Genealogy is like a jigsaw puzzle . . . 

Pieces get lost or placed in the wrong spot.

Boy, everyday living can really smudge the ink on the family tree! If your family is like others, there may be: records of divorces; multiple marriages; children out of wedlock; 3,4,5 generations with the same name; cousins marrying cousins . . . well, shocking as this may seem, it happens. Family residences change, people die, and life goes on.

Remember, as the family's genealogist you're recording history, not judging behavior. But how do you find the truth, especially if it's an event that happened over a hundred years ago? And even if you do find it, do you record it? That's a question you and your family may want to discuss before you start to delve into the communal closet. Whatever you do, be accurate and honest in your record keeping. Otherwise, you and others may waste years trying to squeeze a record into your family that doesn't belong there.

Never rely on just one record or document to verify an event. My cousin and I were convinced that one of our grandparents' brothers had never married, until we found a wedding invitation from 120 years ago. It turns out he had married but his bride died within the first year of marriage and he never remarried. Now the question remains: was it disease or childbirth complications or accident that took the life of this young woman?

Two great default documents in the United States are:

• The Census - The census offers a clear understanding of the neighborhood in which our relatives lived and the professions of the neighbors. It may also reveal education, number of children, and if any boarders or servants lived in the home. A hundred years ago, relatives seemed to gather into pods and lived within blocks of each other, so checking a number of pages either side of your relative may provide even more clues and/or answers.
• Military Draft Records - These are more personal and offer more detailed information about an individual including a physical description (right down to scars and birth marks).  Addresses of next of kin are also included and the document contains the signature of the potential draftee.

If there are differences in records, keep looking until all avenues have been explored. We were faced with a situation where the matriarch was named Maria. Her oldest daughter was named Marie. Her son married a Maria (so we thought) but then her name disappeared on all later records. It turns out, this Maria (the assumed wife) was actually the sister-in-law of the elder Maria and had gone to live with the son while his real wife, Maggie, was in another state tending to her sick mother. Women in the late 1800s may be marked on the census as "homemaker" and in this case, that was true, it's just that it wasn't Maria's permanent home but it was her occupation. Complicated? yes. Impossible to figure out? No. Sometimes, it just takes a look at all the pieces of the puzzle to determine which pieces fit. Hope this information is helpful. Good luck with your search!

Remember: We are all part of a generational relay, so, live your legacy then pass it on.

Jo Ann V. Glim is a 40 year veteran of freelance writing and author of the Book "Begotten With Love." To learn more:

FOLLOW/Like: on Facebook or

VISIT: www.BEGOTTENtheBook.com

AVAILABLE ON: Amazon.com/author/joannglim
BOOK TRAILER on YouTube 

IS YOUR BOOK A PAGE TURNER?

ARE YOU READY FOR PRINT?

There was an interesting item in Dear Abby's column Saturday, July 5th that speaks volumes to all of us who are Indie Authors. The letter to Dear Abby was from a woman whose friend's husband had authored a book (after years of writing) and the friend (the author's wife) had edited. The friend (who wrote the letter to Abby) was given a copy of the book and asked to write a "glowing" review on Amazon.com. Her conundrum? The book was awful! Not only that, it was difficult getting past the spelling and grammatical errors (and this was after it had been edited).  The friend wanted desperately to say something positive about the book but also did not want to lie. What was she to do? Abby's advice? Write something simple and to the point. If nothing else, you could say it was a "page turner."

It was a great response but it also demonstrates why Indie Authors have a difficult time earning respect in a field of very talented, professionally-represented writers. For those of us who are serious about our craft, we have made a commitment to:  the reading public; our fellow authors; and ourselves before launching a book to offer the best product possible. Here are five suggestions:: 

1.      Have it professionally edited by someone who knows book editing.
2.      Have your book professionally formatted and hire an artist to design the cover.
        Covers sell.
3.      Ask your friends to read your book with the intention of receiving honest feedback
        (story, grammar, everything). Explain that the copy they've received is what's
        called an Author Review Copy and what they are doing is helping you publish a
        polished product.
4.      Ask a professional to review your work. Never swap reviews or coerce people into
        liking your book. If friends want to write a review that's wonderful and gratefully
        appreciated.
5.      Always make a commitment to do your very best. Write the best story you know how.
        Present the product in the best light possible.  Surround yourself with professionals
        that can help you achieve your dream of being a published author. 

The best of luck to you . . .          

Jo Ann V. Glim is a 40 year veteran of freelance writing and author of the book "Begotten With Love." To learn more:

FOLLOW/Like: on Facebook or

VISIT: www.BEGOTTENtheBook.com

AVAILABLE ON: Amazon.com/author/joannglim
BOOK TRAILER on YouTube

NOTHING MORE AMERICAN THAN THE 4th of JULY

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

GENEALOGY - PART VII
Are your ancestors harder to find than Waldo? 

Sometimes, finding family ties is next to impossible. Sometimes, a lead will sit dormant for years. Sometimes, information falls into your lap. Sometimes it all makes sense. Sometimes, you begin to recognize the bark on the tree because you've circled that stump more than once.

This week, I received an unexpected item from a cousin when she came across a birth announcement from the 1900s. No baby's name and only a partial date. The news was written on a leather postcard (I didn't even know there was such a thing!). But I had the answers to the missing pieces.

The point I'm trying to make, is that you never know where a clue may appear. This is why I suggest announcing to everyone you know about the project you've under taken. You'll be surprised where items will be found and how generous people will be with pictures and back stories.  Some places you don't want to overlook in your search are:

•       Books           You may even find money, calling cards, and who knows what else
        (especially pressed flowers from a special occasion) hidden between the pages
•       Family Bible   Some Bibles include a section that allows you to record special dates and
        events for posterity. If someone else in the family is keeper of this, see if they'll consider
        sharing the information.
•       Cookbooks    Even if you don't find clues, you'll be able to stir up an old family recipe.
        Recipes may also give you insight as to the welfare of the family, especially during hard
        times like the Depression. I found a recipe for "cheese strata" that looked well worn and I'm
        sure served the family during times of need. For those of you who have never served cheese
        strata, it's layers of day-old bread stacked with cheese between the slices of bread; then
        generously coated with butter and paprika (salt, pepper to taste) and soaked with milk. It
        makes for a warm and filling casserole.
•      Address books Finally, you can verify family, friends and acquaintances . . . and then
       wonder about other names that pop up that were never on your radar.
•      Saved "special occasion" cards - We had a relative who never threw any card she ever
       received out and she lived well into her nineties. It was an act of bravery on everyone's part
       to go through every envelope and worth the trip down memory lane because we found her
       missing birth certificate. 

These are only a few suggestions. You know your family and their "hoarding" habits best. Some of your greatest treasures may be within the pages of your ancestors favorite reads. Happy hunting!

Jo Ann V. Glim is a 40 year veteran of freelance writing and author of the Book "Begotten With Love." To learn more:

FOLLOW/Like: on Facebook or

VISIT: www.BEGOTTENtheBook.com

AVAILABLE ON: Amazon.com/author/joannglim
BOOK TRAILER on YouTube