Family Heirlooms

[Bucky]

Hi - As I sit here at the computer this morning and look behind me at the dining room table, there is a decorative retro 60's bowl here. (I'm only guessing it's from the 60's - it "looks" like something 60'ish.)  I came across this bowl when I was visiting at my parents house once several years ago.  I asked my Dad if I could have it, and he said yes.

I just wish I knew who this bowl had belonged to.  I'm curious about the history of this bowl.  Was it something that belonged to my late mother, or my late grandmother?  Was it something my mom inherited from a family friends estate?  Did mom find it at a garage sale along the way?  All these questions I have no answers to.  My Dad wouldn't have a clue where this bowl came from.

I have two boxes full of various items from both my late mother and my late MIL.  I have the same questions for everything in those boxes.  Who were the original owners of these items?, were they gifts?, was it something they collected?, are they family heirlooms from generations before?  The two key people who would have the answers I'm looking for are both gone.     Other family members can only speculate on the origins of these items.

I have this tall orange vase that was my grandmothers.  I remember seeing it displayed on the dining chest in grandma's dining room as a little girl.  There used to be an orange pedestal bowl that matched it, I don't know whatever happened to it.  I would love to ask my grandmother about this vase - where she got it from, etc.  More unanswered questions.

The point of this post is to say if you have any sort of family heirlooms that you have inherited from grandparents, parents, friends, etc. to share the history behind them with loved ones NOW while you are able to.  A part of history is lost when a family member passes on and then it leaves unanswered questions for the next generation.

I know there is a slew of old photographs at my parents house.  I've looked through them in years past and have no idea who the majority of the people are.  As time consuming as it will be, I need to sit down with my Dad and go through these so I can write on the backs who these people are while my Dad is still living.  (I live out-of-state, so I only get to go "home" to visit once in a while.)  If Dad has no idea who these people are maybe ask an Aunt if she knows them.

Same thing here . . . find out this information while our loved ones are here to give us the answers.

As we ourselves get older, we need to also pass on information about the things we have that will be passed on to our own children, siblings or grandchildren.  Preserve your families history and share it with your loved ones.

Bucky

[irish]

It is such an interesting journey to see all the heirlooms that come our way. It makes you wish that our parents and family had told us the history of the dishes, etc.

I don't have a lot of "old" stuff but do have a few things from both parents and in laws. One thing that I cherish is a glass cup that my MIL got in a box of cereal many years ago. It is cracked and has a piece broken off.

My MIL kept it in her flour container to measure out flour. None of the grandkids will think much of this but it reminds me of the old days and of MIL's old days with "hard times" on the farm and using everything that you had.

When you think back to how hard these "old timers" worked and how they took care of everything they had it makes you feel guilty about running off to Walmart everytime you need something. I look forward to hearing what others have from their family. Irish

[A66eyroad]

When I read Genko's post here https://sjogrensworld.org/index.php?topic=18189.msg194316#msg194316 I thought it would be a wonderful idea to do one of those online photo books (snapfish, shutterfly, etc.) with photos of heirloom ornaments and the stories behind them.

This might not be a bad idea to do for all the family items that are (gathering dust) adorning our homes.

[Pisces24]

I have some heirlooms but they are that because of my memories attached to them. some are not worth a plugged nickel either.

I got an old hat my late father used to wear fishing. It is really only fit for the dump   but looking at it I remember all the good times we had together. So I keep it and it is valuable to me.

I agree with having some information, etc on the item. Without that it is just "a thing" to dust or take up space.

[GeorgiaGirl]

You are so right about getting all the stories & info now.  You never know when it will be too late to ask. The book idea is fantastic! 

I love all things nostalgic  .  While not objects, we bought a book one year for my grandmother called "A Grandmother Remembers" and helped my grandmother fill it out.  She was born in 1911 & it's so interesting to read descriptions of her childhood, teens, and so on, in her own words. 

I have a quilt made by my grandmother, a small table made by my grandfather, an old sifter & bent pastry cutter of my other grandfather's that I use often, & a few costume jewelry items from another grandmother.  I also have a New Testament that belonged to the great grandmother that I was named after. PLus lots of old photos since my mom is a genealogy fanatic (back 10 generations on some sides). 

[genko_b]

Great topic!

My sister and I are now the keepers of what remains of our family "heirlooms," having cleared out our mother's house when she died a number of years ago. A lot of the things we kept we had never seen before we went through to prepare the house for sale.

Some we know were handed down through the years, and we love the stories attached to them. Others could easily be yard sale items, but they caught our eye. We vowed to use whatever we kept, or at the very least have it out on display to enjoy, and not keep it all stashed away in boxes.

We are working to record what family stories we remember, but as my sister says, now we can make up our own stories, since there is no one around to contradict us!

Take care,

Genko

[Meld256]

This IS a neat topic.   

My mother (who passed in 2007) owned 3 items precious to her: the engagment ring my father gave her in 1951, a small ceramic dish with a lid given to her by a teacher when she was 15, and the family Bible from her father's family.

I'm glad I know the story of the dish from her favorite teacher. My mother's family farmhouse burnt to the ground in 1935 while she and her siblings were at school on a winter day, and they had nothing left but the clothes they wore.

Neighbors gave them clothing, household goods and a place to stay, but her teacher gave her the pretty dish just for her before they moved to a new area and school.  In a family where such things were considered frivolous, and everything shared with 5 brothers and sisters, the gift made her feel special.  Over the years, it always sat on her bedroom dresser.

With my parents' last move to assisted living, I dropped the suitcase we'd so carefully wrapped the dish inside. I was terrified it had broken, and my husband didn't understand why I was "freaking out."  Fortunately, it was fine.  When I told him the thing was 72 years old and she'd never cracked or chipped it he understood! 

I think it's wonderful, genko, that you have your heirlooms out to enjoy.

[Meld256]

GeorgiaGirl,

What a great idea about the Grandmother Remembers book.  Maybe I can still find one like that somewhere.  It's so important to keep those memories and stories alive. 

I feel so fortunate that several people in my family are "writers" and have written their life experiences for their ancestors to read later.
Maybe it's an inherited gene of some kind; we also have a few newspaper editors in the family.  Perhaps that's why I sometimes ramble on here!   I can say it's not my fault...it's an inherited trait. 

[Joe S.]

I am sorry, I could not resist. The pun is true. I had a friend who's family had a Loom and often they would weave hair on it.

[Luna]

Out of the things I have in my possession, I know who they came from, how long they were in the family all the way to the original person, and how they came to own it. Same for most the items in my parents homes. The one thing that does make me sad is the photos my dad has. My grandmother and  those before her, did not put information on the photos. My grandmother died 5 years ago. All the names of these strangers in the photos went with her. My father has no idea who a lot of them are. Other family members that I know and would feel comfortable asking, don't know. So, I will one day possess photo albums filled with nameless faces. I will keep them and protect them. I will do what I can to find out who they are. It did make me realise that I need to always write who is in the picturs and the year. I was bad about that with my families photos. So I am slowly  getting that done. My mother never knew her father. He died before we could meet him. But we are getting to know his family. Thank goodness they are proud of their heritage and the whole family. So all the information I need I am getting from them. I am big on knowing the family history.

Luna

[Meld256]

Luna,

Good luck on your search!  I always thought my mother went "overboard" writing names and dates on pictures, but now I'm glad she did.

As we get older and family members are no longer around to ask, it can be hard to remember or maybe we never met the person and have no idea who's in a picture.

[quilt4fun]

        After my MIL passed away. we found a whole lot of pictures in boxes, drawers, photo albums, trunks-----many without names.  Some we were able to identify by the number and sex of children.  Sometimes we found 1 picture with name and were able to identify them in other pictures.
      Just recently, my hubby was able to make a connection with older cousins on FACEBOOK on one side of the family.   With some help, maybe we can put these pictures through the internet the get some id'd.
      I have scrapbooked many pictures on both my family and husbands family.   Some go back to the 1860's! 
        My mother and an aunt gave me a lot of picturesI  My mom has helped me over a couple years time. It gave me time to learn more about my family.  She lives about 500 miles away, so I had to set pictures aside when I wasn't sure and take them with me when we visited.  I have a brother, so I made 2 scrap books; gave one set to my mother with instructions to get them to him when she is ready to part with them.
       I also have some very special plates, bowls , furniture etc. from both sides of our families.  I know where they came from, and have put little slips of paper in them.  I like the photo idea, think I work on that too.  Thanks for the idea.

[susanep]

My husband is really into genealogy, and it has really blessed him since his parents have passed.

I had a beautiful cake stand that was my great great grandmothers on my dad's side. I didn't even have it long, and I miss getting to use it, but I wanted to give my daughter in law something that was really special to me to keep. So she and my son have it now.

She has had it out on my birthday before which I thought was so sweet and considerate.

I have a couple of quilts my mother has made, and she recently gave me fabric that she has had throughout the years, and also quilting magazines that go way back.

I have a cedar chest, a wooden quilt display rack, and a beautiful jewelry box my dad made for me.

My husband has put many pictures of both sides of our families on the computer to store.

I am sure there is more, but I can't think of it right now.

susanep