Every family will have at least a few items that are considered to be heirlooms. Although some of those items may have financial value, most of the time they are important because of the memories and family history that they remind genealogists of. Christmas is a holiday that is filled with many heirlooms. What is an heirloom? According to the Free Online Dictionary, and heirloom is “a valued possession passed down in a family through succeeding generations”. Most families have some heirlooms that are treasured, preserved, and shared with future generations. It is possible that the heirlooms that have been … Continue reading →

While some family heirlooms are proudly displayed in the homes of their current owners or carefully preserved and stored in a way that will ensure that they are not damaged, countless family treasures are moldering away in hot, dusty attics, moist basements, and other places that threaten to destroy them. What can a genealogist do to locate and preserve these family treasures before it is too late? Fortunately, there are a few things that you can do to make sure that your family’s heirlooms can be enjoyed by future generations. The first step in preserving your family’s treasures is to … Continue reading →

As I hear more stories and see more pictures of what happened here in Vermont as a result of Hurricane Irene, I think that the storm is certainly going to be the subject of many family stories that will be handed down to future generations. There are people who are isolated in their mountain villages because all roads in and out have been destroyed by floodwaters. There are folks with out of state license plates from Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York who came up here when they were evacuated from their homes. I am sure that they thought that … Continue reading →