Strange experience geneaology and eBay

[Marthe48]

I talked to my cousin today. We don't talk often, and it was great to hear from her. We talked about geneaology, that she hadn't found much about her Dad's family history. After we talked, I Googled her Dad's name, and one of the things that popped up was a vintage press photograph of my cousin and her Mom, for sale on eBay. Their names and old address was written on the back and shown on the description, easy for me to verify. I made an offer and bought it, will send it to her. I was astonished!

[3catwoman3]

1. Interesting.

Why was the photo for sale on eBay? Did the seller have any connection toy your family?

[Marthe48]

3. I'll ask after I get it

I played my cards close to my vest I think the seller just gets vintage photos and sells them.

[rsdsharp]

2. Interesting what you can find on the internet.

When I was a kid, my father told a story about how his grandfather had died on a Christmas day having been hit by a train as he drove his sleigh across the tracks. One day I decided to see if I could verify the story, so I googled his name, and the name of the county in which I had grown up (Dad always said he’d been spread all over Floyd county.)

The first thing that popped up was a history of the county. When I clicked the link, I found myself looking at what I think was a wedding picture of my grandfather and grandmother — my father’s parents. I had never seen the picture. I have only a couple of fleeting memories of my grandfather, and none of my grandmother, who died before I was born.

Oh, and reading part of the county history I learned that my great grandfather died in the month of January at the age of 85, apparently still largely in one piece, train or no.

[Marthe48]

4. Great story

sometimes the details get knocked around. What the family is told, might not be the right story, or might have some stories mashed together.

[rsdsharp]

5. What was really odd is that I must have heard that story at least 50 times from my father.

When I sent the picture to my older brother, and told him why I had initiated the search, he said he had never heard of it.

[Grasswire2]

6. I googled my great grandfather's name last week, looking for a Civil War photo if one existed.

Holy, moley, a military auction site popped up with a handwritten letter by him, dated 1866, to his daughter in law regarding her news of a baby coming. A very sweet and personal letter.

Astounding.

Sadly, it had recently sold for just twenty bucks. But I was able to copy the image.