| This list is meant to help jog thinking – | | | | family history will help with any family list. |
| obviously, subject matter will vary from one | | | | Civil War enlistment and discharge papers. Photo |
| family history to another. | | | | of bullet taken from head of a Civil War veteran |
| This list is aimed at an ancestral family history, | | | | (who survived some 30 years). Indian stone axe |
| but it should be helpful for current generation | | | | found on ancestor’s farm. 1905-1910 |
| family histories, too. | | | | birthday and greeting cards. Hand-made |
| Category 1 – Individual Ancestors | | | | checkerboard. Photo of book authored by |
| This category is likely to be the most appreciated | | | | ancestor. Antique cedar chest and kitchen |
| and viewed of all family history subjects. | | | | cabinet. Old cars – or horses. Old tools and |
| Associated photos (see Category 2 below) will | | | | cooking utensils. Marriage license. Tax |
| add value. | | | | receipts. Old maps corresponding to a time or |
| - Writing done by an individual (e.g., | | | | place in a family history (many old maps can be |
| my father’s early autobiography & my | | | | found by Interest research). |
| mother’s 47-year history) | | | | Category 4 -- How Things Were Different |
| - Any other writings – | | | | “Back Then” |
| newspaper articles, obituary, etc. | | | | Older family members will respond to your |
| - Remembrances and stories about | | | | general question, “How were things different |
| an ancestor by descendants | | | | back then?” A few variations to jog their |
| - What distinguished a person as a | | | | memory are: |
| unique individual? | | | | - How were Christmas and other |
| - Idiosyncrasies are especially | | | | holidays different back then? |
| entertaining and illuminating | | | | - What are some things that no |
| - Someone may have to write | | | | longer exist – skills, places, habits, old |
| based on a descendant’s spoken words | | | | technology, daily routines, etc? |
| - Occupational stories (e.g., a doctor | | | | - Community services that no longer |
| ancestor made house calls using a horse) | | | | exist – doctor’s house calls, the 5 and 10 |
| - Other reproduced writings (e.g., | | | | cent store, ice boxes, milk delivery, etc. |
| 1905 letter, Agreement to join group going to | | | | - Cultural differences back then – |
| California gold fields, 1851 letter from California | | | | not locking doors, helping sick neighbors, |
| gold fields, etc.) | | | | importance of daily newspaper and radio, effects |
| Category 2 – Ancestral People Photos | | | | of a war, the depression, etc. |
| Each photo is more interesting if it is dated (at | | | | Category 5 – Additional Possibilities |
| least approximately), individuals are identified and | | | | A few items that do not fall neatly into the above |
| some family member can write a remembrance | | | | categories: |
| about it (e.g., “This was the last time that | | | | - Time lines that follow important |
| these brothers and sisters were together.”) | | | | events in the life of an individual or a family |
| - All the obvious – baby photos, | | | | (record a date and then write about the event |
| marriage photos, photos of 3-4 generations, | | | | opposite the date) |
| portraits, pets, etc. | | | | - “A Typical Day in the Life of |
| - Photos of home, workplace, | | | | ____________.” (Variations might include |
| schools, vacations, holidays, family reunions, etc. | | | | the housewife’s week of Monday washing, |
| - Old cars, horses, toys, home town | | | | Tuesday ironing, Friday cleaning, Saturday baking, |
| photos, war-related photos | | | | etc. or what the family typically did during the |
| - Gravestone photos – | | | | four seasons or did on vacations) |
| accompanied by the writings on the gravestones | | | | - Family mysteries – an example |
| Category 3 – Additional Digitized Images | | | | is, “Where did he get the money to go to |
| In this day of digital cameras, a photo can be | | | | medical school?” or “…to buy that |
| made of anything physical. In any family, there is | | | | farm?” or “Did he father an |
| a virtual treasure trove of various types of | | | | out-of-wedlock child? |
| physical items. A list from the A. E. Garden | | | | |