What is my Inheritance of Memories

 When our family was clearing out my aunt and uncle's house I became heir to a very old beautiful leather photo album with a metal clasp that belonged to my great grandmother.

Photo album belonging to Eliza Hannah Gray

 Over the next months I devoured this album.  I stared at people, clothing and backdrops.  I guessed at ages.  I got out my magnifying glass so I wouldn't miss a detail.   I was fascinated.  I was obsessed. I had a growing need to know who these people were.  What their lives were like.  Who their families were.  What work they did.  Where they lived.  How they were related to my great grandmother, and therefore, to me.

 The photos from long ago are often so clear that you can make eye contact with the people.  I was getting to know this group.  From the manner of dress this was an album of people from the 1890s and before.  Some faces showed up several times through the ages.

 There was however, a tiny problem with this gorgeous album of 117 photos.  All the photos were unnamed!  Well, okay, I exaggerate.  Not all of them were unnamed.  One had a name and one had a clue.  That left me with 116 unnamed photos.  Now what?  Before I get into that I should introduce my great grandmother.