Posted by Debra W. I was interested in history & genealogy from at least as early as age 7. Because of this, I knew & had talked to many of the older people in my mother's family. I ended up as the keeper of the heirlooms. They often gave me jewelry, photos, mementos, etc. rather than to their own grandchildren, whom they said would not appreciate the items or take care of them. I knew few of my cousins, most of whom were distant. I know even less of their children & grandchildren. None have been interested in genealogy or in making my acquaintance. Although, now that it seems to be something of a fad, I am getting requests for my work... not for documents, etc... just the compiled work or a family tree. In one case, I then found my work posted under a cousin's name on her website. Yet this person was not interested enough to study the material in order to be able to answer questions from other researchers. She didn't give them my name. Didn't know anyone else interested in the family. So the other researchers found me by accident w/o her help. That's how I found out about the website, but that's all another issue, yet enhances my fears. I have no children of my own, nor neices or nephews. My fears are that if I simply dole out these items, they will either end up on Ebay or in the trash or a yard sale & be totally disconnected from their own histories. Who they belonged to. Who that person was. Etc. Some may be valuable... some are worthless (like a 150 year old hank of hair that belonged to my gggm. I know her life. I know where she's buried. I know that she cut her hair on her 16th birthday. I know why she cut it. I have her photo.) I also have all the items that belonged to my great-uncle, who died in 1911 at the age of 18 mos. I have his little toys, his baby pins & ring, his photo, a lock of his hair. I have the note written by my grandfather for his obituary & I have the obit. I know that he was a very smart little boy. I know how & why he died. I'm the only remaining person who knows where he's buried in an unmarked grave. Would anyone else care? I've asked younger friends. Which would you rather have... a new DVD or this 1876 history book. Invariably it's the DVD. I had a friend who gave her daughter her own grandmother's 100+ year old set of English Rose china, as well as a few pices of stoneware that were much older & were believed to have come north with the family from Kentucky to Indiana around 1820. 6 mos. later it was all on Ebay. My friend was devastated when she found out, but it was already gone. In it's place her daughter had a big, new flatscreen TV. So, I guess my ethics question is: Is it better to sell it on Ebay or elsewhere oneself... with provenance intact... & hopefully see it go to someone who cares for it & who might be interested in its history, etc? Someone who realizes that the provenance enhances it's value. Or... Should one try to keep it in the family, even at the risk of having it pass to someone who sees it only as a commodity or as junk?
on 6/29/2007, 2:22 pm
207.200.116.130
I hope that this posting might start a discussion. For me it is a question of ethics. 
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