Family History Photo albums

Photo by Margarita Marushevska on Unsplash

As summer marches on, I’ve finally finished updating one of my family history photo albums/scrapbooks. Whew! I have more to go but it is a good accomplishment. Here are some things I’ve learned in the process. Let’s look.

As family historians we live and breathe our ancestors’ histories. We know that European village that they came from. We can recite their life story. We just know. However, the rest of our family probably doesn’t. It occurred to me that my photo albums/scrapbooks included the correct names and dates but no context. How would a grandchild or great grandchild understand who these people were? How could I make that connection?

1. Names
   1. It’s ok to include an ancestry chart so that people have context about where that name fits.
   2. It helps to talk about the ancestors who immigrated because that is one to which they can better relate. While we might be giddy about finding the name of our third great grandfathers, too many names and dates are overwhelming.
2. Places
   1. As we talk about our immigrant ancestors, using maps and context about where they lived and what it was like in that timeframe helps make them relatable.
   2. If you’ve found baptism records for the ancestor who immigrated, include a copy for people to see which a transcription/translation.
3. Photographs
   1. We all love photos and if you’re lucky enough to have them, include as many as you can. It is important to label them with names and place as well as to give some context about when and where the photo was taken. Think about when extended family gets together…it is usually for marriages or funerals. I noticed this when looking at photos of my great grandfather, his parents, and siblings. I realized that two of the photos were likely showing key events…one when a brother died during the 1918 flu and the other after his mother had passed. Everyone is dressed up for the events at specific locations. By looking at who is present and who isn’t you can get an idea of the timeframe and related events.
4. Context
   1. While it’s great to include many photographs, we need to include context. State how this person fits into the family, especially if they aren’t a collateral relative. Sometimes the collateral family has interesting stories and ties to your direct line that you don’t want to get lost. As an example, my grandparents and children moved in with his great aunt and uncle during a challenging time. Having their pictures and including their importance to the family helps add context.

I hope this little detour to learn about my family history photo album/scrapbook helps inspire you to take another look at yours or to start one. It’s a great way to share our family stories beyond a book. Perhaps this is the little nudge you need to get started and someday it will inspire you to write a more extensive story. Happy photo/scrapbooking!