swizzle
Sr. Member
Sorry, no pics but a cool little time capsule has just came back to see the light of day in my family. I had grown up hearing stories about my great gramps and his bootleggin' or selling his "soda pop" as my gram used to tell me. Well my gram past away here this past december and as my parents were cleaning out an upstairs closet they found 2 suitcases tucked behind a huge trunk with some stuff piled on top of it. We've always known about the big trunk and the busted tiffiny (knockoff) lamp that was inside of it. I remember growing up hearing about that stupid lamp and how bad my aunt wanted it. Well anyway's there was nothing special in that big trunk but those two suitcases held a little family history. Some pics of the old school across the street before it was even finished in 1930, old family pics and an 1889 "the world" newspaper which has a article about edison winning the patent for the incandecent lightbulb and on the same page a story about 2 house fires caused by electric lights. Some interesting stuff to read about. There was all kinda of recipts and life insurance policies and doctor bills. My great gramps paid over $300 to have his leg amputated. Close to $400 with the x-ray, consulation, and ansthetia (sp). He also worked for the local RR for 6 years which my dad didn't know. He was taxi cab driver who would pick up people at the station and take them to the local towns and inns and parks. My gram even told me about him taking people all the way to vermont from upstate N.Y. and how she would cry because he would be gone for 2 days at a time. Then my dad found his beer and wine recipes. Makes me wonder if those trips to vermont were to make a bootleg run. He did get arrested for it but I don't know how long he spent in jail. His brews were definately made to drink within a few days of brewing. 90 hours of brew time, add sugar and bottle? At that point they are still fermenting. I imagine he's had a few bottles pop the top without any help. All in all there wasn't really anything overly special historically speaking but it is a real treat to find out more about your past. I got to thinking about it and I have already talked to my family and we are going to start our own little memory box. My one sis is adding her old drivers licenses and I'll probably add a silly letter to our future selves. I am also going to add a bit of a treasure twist to it before it is locked up tight. I am going to pose a question or two to the younger members of our family. I am going to ask them to write down the number of great grandchildren my parents will have by the time the box is opened. Then sign there names and put all the answers in a babyfood jar and seal it up tight for about 50 years. Then back up behind that big old trunk in the attic the little hidden treasure will remain. Who knows, it might go forgotten for 100 years. Sounds like a good idea to me. I think it would be great if everyone did this with there families. Any idea's on how to improve or add to my idea? I figure that it will fair much better in the attic then in the backyard buried in moist soil and forgotten. Swizzle
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