Finding Family Photos on the Web
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about how one genealogist created a short video about her online photo discovery. I was so intrigued by her effort that I decided to try putting together a short piece with images depicting flags. It's one of my collecting areas—I can't...
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Is This the Same Man?
Charles Blyth found this handsome daguerreotype in a group of identified family photographs. He thinks the man might be a colleague of his great uncle, but isn't really sure. It's beautiful and in pristine condition, so I couldn't resist this challenge. It's important to remember daguerreotypes are reversed. Before comparing...
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Photo Reunion Live!
In the July 2008 issue of Family Tree Magazine, I wrote an article, "Charmed Life," about how genealogists connect with lost family—people, history and artifacts. It was a lot of fun to work on. Midge Frazel, one of the women featured in the piece, has created a video of...
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Loopy Photo Labels
A big thank you to Leanne M. Baraban! She bought this photo to share with me (and you). It's a great example of how good-intentioned labeling can go so very wrong. Below are all the identifications, and the woman who made them added a note: "I numbered these...
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Sisters or Mother and Daughter?
A reader named Judy sent me a picture mystery that's a lot like choosing the answer to a multiple choice question—a, b or c. This makes my brain and eyes hurt. Here goes: On the back is written Great Grandma Frances Huffman. Huffman was born in 1838.In...
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Wicked Weather and Your Family Heirlooms (Photos included)
It's that time of year when weather leads the news reports--tornados, floods and hurricanes. Also in the news are pictures and footage of folks clutching family photos they've rescued from disaster. There is a lot you can do to save your family heirlooms from the wild and wicked...
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Unknown Soldiers
I owe a big thank-you to readers who sent pictures of the military men in their family. My in box has quite of few images of men in mystery uniforms, so I thought focusing on military pictures for another week was warranted. Pay attention to the details such as these...
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How to Submit Your Mystery Photo to the Photo Detective
Do you have shoeboxes filled with unidentified family photographs? Let photo historian Maureen A. Taylor lend a hand.You can submit a mystery photograph for Taylor to analyze online in the Photo Detective blog or in Family Tree Magazine's print Photo Detective column.See the Photo Detective blog for examples...
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Military Memories
In honor of Memorial Day, I'll mention two items appropriate for the occasion. First, if you enjoyed the books Dating Old Photographs and More Dating Old Photographs (Moorshead Magazines), then you're going to love the new one in the series. Dating Military Photographs will let you compare all your mysterious...
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Fraternal Insignia
Linda Matthews was just one of the people who answered my call for pictures of ancestors in fraternal uniforms. She inherited this wonderful photo of her cousin Carl Lager. Carl was born April 23, 1854, in Sweden, and died Feb. 15, 1935, in Henry County, Ill. According to...
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