Thursday, January 17, 2013

A Family Saved from the Dumpster


Such a lovely family, isn't it? There are at least four generations of photographs here--a legacy of images--volumes of  history--an entire family--saved from the dumpster. . . .

Yes, someone threw this precious family--and their heritage--away. . . .

A few weeks ago, John made a visit to the local dumpster--set up for depositing larger items. . . .What he found left me speechless. . . .so speechless that I've done nothing but think about it ever since. . . .

He found dozens of vintage photographs, eight to ten family albums, memento boxes filled with vintage baby items, and framed studio photographs, many very old. . . .

It was a sad find. . . .

Bless my John's heart, he wasn't about to leave the family there alone. . . .He rescued them--and all their memories--and brought them home to who else but me. . . .He knows how dear I hold family. . . .He knew I'd want to adopt them. . . .

Adopt them I did. . . .You may have noticed a few of the photos in my recent posts. . . .


Every family has a story to tell. . . .
The happy couple married young--possibly out of high school. . .  He served his country in the Navy. . . .She stayed home and raised a family during the 1950s. . . .They had three children. . . .

They were close to their families--many generations represented in the photos. . . .She was raised in a tenant style home, where her parents remained. . . .Holidays were often spent with the Parents and Grandparents. . . .Aunts, Uncles, Brothers, Sisters, Cousins and Friends gathered there. . . .Every time there was a family gathering, the camera was grabbed for family portraits--to remember the occasion and the loved ones who attended it. . . .

How am I doing, so far?


Being passionate about keeping family history, I must confess it confuses me as to why anyone would throw their family away. I do realize not everyone is interested in the past but am willing to bet someone in this family is. . . .We never know what grandchild or great grandchild or some distant cousin will one day wish to know about their heritage. When that day comes will all be lost?
 

If no family member is interested in their heritage, there are also archives, museums, and libraries that would treasure the family history and photographs. . . . 


Please take a lesson from our discovery. . . .
Think about your own family--your heritage--and keep it alive--
Please don't throw them in a dumpster. . . . It's so sad when a family is lost and forgotten. . . .Treasure your family's life stories. . . .always.

. . .from my farmhouse to yours. . .


42 comments:

Shabby Brocante, Karen said...

Heartbreaking. I am thinking it was a mistake or a family member that was estranged. Sad, because they are such wonderful pictures. Just amazing. I am glad they fell into good hands.
Karen

Mary Ann said...

I'm the Keeper of our Family photos, and I routinely look when in thrift stores, and antique malls for photos... it saddens me to know that people have been cast aside. I have so many pictures, and treasure the ones with names on the back. This was a great post!

TracyMB @ Crows Feet Chic said...

I am the keeper/lover of family photos too and would be lost without my treasures. :) I am so happy that your husband found these; to know they were... left, gives me a knot in my stomach. So glad we can all enjoy them now!

Melanie said...

You and I were thinking along the same lines this morning!!!

Yes, family history is important and it should be kept alive. I am amazed that someone would throu a family in the dumpster!!! Happy that your husband found these!!!

Carlene @ Organized Clutter said...

I don't understand this either. I love old photos.

Heide at ApronHistory said...

How terribly sad! It makes me want to cry. Family is so so important and to know where your ancestors and heritage come from is equally important.
So glad you rescued them and they now have a loving home!

Florida Farm Girl said...

Oh, those are so similar to the ones in our picture box!! I can't imagine anyone being so callous about their past.

An idea for you. Look up the closest genealogical society. If they have a website, contact them and tell them what you've found, with all the details. If there is any way to post some of the better pictures, someone may just recognize these folks. I do hope you find this family. Would break my heart to see such wonderful treasures go unclaimed.

The Boston Lady said...

Oh wow. I would like to think that perhaps the last person to have these treasures passed away with no one to give these to and they were simply discarded by a non-family administrative person. Even still my inclination would to have been to donate them to a shop that sells such things to people who treasure them. I'm sure there is a reason they ended up in the dumpster, whatever it is, I'm glad your kind-hearted husband rescued them and brought them to you, who appreciate them and give them new life. Ann

Unknown said...

So glad your husband saved them! I see these kinds of things at auctions all the time and wonder why. Although, even my great-grandparents who were great treasure keepers, when their fragile health forced them to move into a tiny senior apartment, my great-grandpa was angry and started throwing away many treasured items because he didn't want to be in the middle of everyone bickering over this item or that. Thankfully family were on hand to help them move and noticed the trailer full of things we loved and salvaged as much as we could and divided them fairly based on who had the most attachment to the item. One of the items that couldn't be salvaged was my great-grandma's wedding dress that she had kept for over 60 years. We saved the buttons but the rest was already in ruins because he had thrown it in with the trash and brush.

Debra@CommonGround said...

your husband did such an honorable thing, by grabbing these from the dumpster. I love old photos, it's hard to understand how someone could let all these memories go.

Judy at GoldCountryCottage said...

Oh, Dru, this is so sad. I often think about this subject whenever I find a photo or a craft project in a used store, thinking that someone made this and thought it was beautiful and someone else just threw it away. Or when you see a cemetery that has gone to ruin. I bet we would be amazed as to how many of these situations are out there..Thank you for keeping these memories safe..Judy

Old Time Cindy said...

It is sad. We once bought a room of books at an auction. Both the man and lady of the house died of cancer. All their children and grandchildren were at the auction. We brought all the books home and discovered an album that held the family's history with photos, newspaper clippings, and more. It was quite extensive and I was hoping it was a mistake that it sold. We knew the auctioneer and gave him the album telling him to please return it to the family. I can only hope that one of them is treasuring their past.
Farmhouse hugs,
Cindy

chateau chic said...

So glad these photos have a good home now to appreciate the generations of history represented.
Mary Alice

Julie Marie said...

Hello sweetie... so happy your hubby rescued those... okay... since my hubby is a retired policeman and I too retired from the Police Dept, here is what I think may have happened... possibly those were stolen along with a number of valuables from someone's home... the thief or thieves didn't see any monetary value in the photos so they threw them away and only kept things they thought they could sell... just a theory... but my "police" mind is still always at work... however they came to be there, I am so happy they are now a part of your family... wouldn't it be wonderful if someone saw them on your blog... and it was their family... and they got ahold of you... I read a story years ago in an old magazine that I still have about a lady who bought a box full of old photos at an estate sale... after she got them home and started sorting them... they were her own ancestors... how they go to the estate sale, she does not know... but they came full circle back to her... thanks for sharing this incredible story... xoxo Julie Marie (I really want to think no family member actually just threw them away... either scenario is sad)...

Dawn said...

Maybe you should post an add in your local paper. The items may have been thrown away by mistake.

Brenda Pruitt said...

How truly sad and heartless. You could scan those photos and put them on Pinterest and let people like me use them! (Like in my embroidery hoop art. I'm always looking for old photos, and sadly, I have few of my own.)
Brenda

Grandma Barb's This and That said...

So sad they were all thrown in the dumpster. But I'm so glad your husband saw them and brought them home for you! They are wonderful photos.

Cheryl Harper Textiles said...

Dru,
Nothing is by chance. God placed them in your hands for a reason - to share your story with us so we will keep our families nearer to our hearts.
Thanks for sharing.
Hugs,
Cheryl

Simply Shelley said...

Very sad...indeed....I am so glad they are happy with you now...blessings.

ohiofarmgirl said...

It is very sad but sometimes it is beyond your control. When my Mom and Dad passed my sister stole all the pictures and we have never seen them since..this could be the fate of our pictures as well...wish these were my family. Dianntha

Pamela Gordon said...

This is an incredible story. I wonder what the reason was that someone would throw away all those family photos and memorabilia. I've seen them in antique stores too. I have a lot of old family photos and will hang onto them until the next generation doesn't know who they are or want them and the same thing will happen to them. I hang on to them but I doubt my kids will. How sad. I'm glad this family found a good home.

a house full of vintage said...

That's so sad that someone would throw these amazing pictures and history in the trash! At least now you get to treasure them and display them like they should be...they found a good home:) love your blog...I'm a follower!

cynthia lee designs said...

How heart breaking! I keep wondering if someone threw them away or if someone stole stuff from someone's home and threw these photo away. So glad that you have them now.
hugs,
Cindy

Maureen Wyatt said...

I bought a pile of books at auction and found a family Bible with records dating back to the early 1800's. After calling around families with the same last name, two sheepish young people showed up to claim it. They had accidentally included it with the other books when their grandma died. I made them pay $1 as a reminder to take better care of their family history. They gladly paid.

J9sHappiness said...

Goodness, this made me really quite sad - I'm so pleased they were rescued and will now be enjoyed but you - and us all! To someone who holds family and friends above all else, this seems so foreign and senseless. J9 x

Cynthia said...

I have to wonder if these were accidentally left behind during a move and the next tenants didn't bother to find out who might be missing these. Or maybe they were stolen and the perpetrator just dumped them. Whatever the reason, I'm glad your husband and you care enough to adopt the family. It would be sad to believe that it was a purposeful act.

Tanya Breese said...

oh that is so sad but glad they found a new home with you. i love the family history you gave them.
i wonder if the house was robbed and they looters just tossed what they didn't want? that happened with my grandparents house, not photos but stuff they decided they didn't want they just dumped. luckily it was somehow found and returned.
by the way, i'm really enjoying visiting all these blogs in your white blog hop! :)

Pam said...

How sad! Beautiful photos like that in a dumpster. What a dear man your husband is to have saved them! I used to work in a thrift shop and I can't tell you how many times photos came threw. Photos of families, children, wedding, old yearbooks with love letters, military, military medals. So sad. Several times believe it or not someones ashes. My hope was that they were donated by mistake. Whenever possible I would try to track down the owner, but more times than not I just couldn't. Bless you for what you have done. I cherish all of my family photos and so do my children. My oldest daughter asked me the other day if I would make a scrapbook of Mamaw and Papaw for her birthday in October. I made a cookbook for my youngest daughter several years ago full of recipes her Mamaw and I made as she was growing up. I want to make the grand kids each one. Preserving family history is so important!
Hugs,
Pam
scrap-n-sewgranny.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

I'm so glad those beautiful photos found a new home! And remember, if someone has decided to discard old photo's,your public library often has a genealogy department and they love to get photos and letters from families in their town. Our genealogist keeps folders on every family she researches in our county and she loves to put photos with the information. Often, I've seen a patron come in, look thru a folder, and exclaim "that's a picture of my family member"! Or, that is a photo of great-grandmothers house!

Thanks for sharing these beautiful pictures,
Dorothy

The Charm of Home said...

I have so many props like this! you all inspire me to get to digging and embrace my style. My hubs has everything packed away.."away from the children" who will destroy much. I am babysitting 3 days a week but, I am missing out on so many photo ops!!!
Sherry

Leena Milligan Lanteigne said...

Three cheers for your husband for saving these photos and pieces of this family's history! I can't believe that somebody threw those out! I get sad just seeing an old photo at an antique store! I always wonder "isn't there some family member who would want these?" Maybe not. Maybe nobody knows. Still, it's sad. I have pictures of relatives I never knew. I'm scanning them all onto CD's for my sister and me. I already did my mom's side and gave a disc to my cousin who lost all of her's in Hurricane Katrina. I always take pictures at family gatherings and sometimes just because I want to keep what myh silly grandkids are doing. I even have pictures of all my dogs I've had! I'm the family historian and I think it's so important to keep these memories! Are there any names on any of the photos that you can research? Maybe there's a local web site where you can post a few and ask if anybody recogonizes the people? If they can't be returned to the family, it's so sweet that you've adopted them and I liked your story! Hugs, Leena

Celestina Marie said...

So glad your hubby brought them home. What a sad thing to find, but some how the right person found them. I love old pics too and treasure all that I own from my family and friends.
I love how you have already shown them care and respect. Your pics displaying these precious memories are beautiful.
The memories of those in the photos will now live on.
Thank you for sharing.
Hugs, Celestina Marie

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad that you have these pictures and you treasure them as they should be treasured. I am sure that the people in the photos would be happy and relieved to know that they are in your care now. What a bittersweet story this is! Thank you for sharing it.

Hayu Maselli said...

Oh So sad to found these treasures of a family,They wanted to erase the past into modern stuff by throw them in the trash.So lucky those old pics go to someone correct.
congratulation you found those treasures.
have a nice weekend

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson said...

Oh sweetie, so glad hubby rescued this family. No conincidence, I think that he went to the dumpster that day. I hope their disposal was by accident and not intentional. Loved the bit of history you created. I am sure they are smiling down on you from above!
hugs,
Jann

Diana of Diana Rambles said...

What treasures. I wonder if someone threw it away by accident!!

Anonymous said...

So happy your husband pulled these out of a dumpster. I was at a favorite antique mall several years ago and saw a picture that just spoke to me of a sweet little girl and boy. The name of the photographer and town where his shop was located was on the photo. There was the name of the children on the back of the photo. By having the names and name of town where it was taken I tracked a granddaughter down through ancestry.com. Mailed the photo to her and she was so happy to have it. It seems there had been a divorce and the second wife wasn't keen on the pictures being in the house.
melinda

Pam said...

What lovely tresors to find in the dumpster. I can't even imagine anyone throwing these out! Thank goodness they are now rescued and enjoyed again! xOxO Pam

lala said...

Not too long ago, a neighbor who lived near my mother passed away. This person had no surviving family members, and the home she lived in was a rental. The owners hired a company to empty the home. Most went to various charity organizations but much was placed in a dumpster - including many photo albums (I managed to rescue an extremely old one). Many times, when photos are trashed or end up in fleamarkets, antique shops etc., it is because there was no one left to inherit them and love them, which is even sadder.

Debra at HOMESPUN: http://www.thehomespun.com said...

That is amazing to me...clearly the wrong person inherited the photos and albums

Stan and Jody Gabara said...

Dru, So happy your husband found these wonderful treasures. I just tried to get the post up so something must have happened when you posted this. Please try to post it again this week at the party. Would love for you to share at Simple & Sweet Fridays.

Jody

Dom Rozalii said...

Bardzo smutna historia ze szczęśliwym zakończeniem:)

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