I’m home tonight after a two day trip to Chicago to attend my grandfather’s funeral. It was really great to be there, to remember him, and to share memories with his large extended family, many of whom I was meeting for the first time. At the luncheon that preceded his funeral, a large battered black suitcase was on the table, and it’s contents were a time capsule of memories for all of us that were there. The suitcase was stuffed with photos dating back 100 years, newspaper clippings, letters, yearbooks, and more.
We spent hours pouring over its contents, repeatedly turning to my grandfather John’s 90-year old sister Margaret to ask, ‘Who’s this?’. And like an unfallible oracle of family history, Margaret could not be stumped.
Some fast sorting went on, with pictures that had the most meaning to each of John’s families ending up in the right hands. But the bulk of the photos, and the case itself, were entrusted to me, with my promise that I would digitize the collection and share it online with all. And Margaret’s children have promised me that they’ll get her in front of a computer as needed, to continue the task of sharing and preserving the memories that come out of this black suitcase.
Over the last two years I’ve often wondered what it was the triggered my sudden fascination with genealogy, and my obsessive hunt to learn more about my family. Opening this suitcase gave me one answer. For two years I’ve been doing my homework, learning about the people in my family, trying to understand what their lives were like. Without that initial effort, much in this suitcase would mean nothing to me. But thanks to it, I am well prepared to dive into this suitcase. I know the people in these pictures, and I’m ready to learn still more.
Stay tuned for a continuous stream of contents from this family time capsule to be posted here in the Casey blog. As I get items scanned, I’ll be adding them to album titled Casey Memory Suitcase that you can find among my online photo albums.