My Memories Suite -Digital Scrapbook Software

Sorting Saturday - A Great Genealogy Gift

One of the greatest genealogy gifts a family genealogist can receive is the gift of family photos with identification of the subjects on the reverse. I have been blessed with such gifts, but not all had identification. Whether you have a family genealogy interest or not, please identify the people in photos that you have treasured over the years. Also, add the location of the photo and the occasion and date it was taken if you know it. Once you die, the value of the photos often dies with you. You just may be surprised at the memories that the photos will bring to mind and the joy you receive from reliving those moments.

I am scanning my photos and returning the originals to families who shared their photos with my family. I know when I die my children will have no earthly idea who these people are and will probably just toss them in the trash. That would be a real loss. Friends and family do not share as many "physical" photos today as most are available digitally. This too is a loss. I feel a special joy from actually holding an old photo or handwritten letter in my hand--especially if it has a connection to one of my ancestors.


My grandmother held membership in many organizations and kept lots of photos of other people. When I was unable to return a photo to its family, I posted a .jpg image on ancestry.com. A note was added that if the photo was of anyone's ancestor I would happily mail the original to them.


Pull out that box of photographs today and get busy!

Displaying Family Photos

I printed copies of family photos from .jpg files.  The nice thing about using a copy is that you can print it to fit the size of the available photo frames.  The photos can be displayed and enjoyed without worrying about light or other damage.  The photo ledges (http://www.exposuresonline.com/) were added to an entrance wall and the photos can be rearranged if you want to add more or change without being concerned about holes in your wall.  The ledges are hung 12 to 13 inches apart and start about 28 inches from the floor.

Identifying Family Photographs

One of the greatest gifts you can give your family is to identify the family photographs that you have.  This is how I did this for my family. 

Family photos were given to me by my grandfather, Otis Franklin Swann, in 1986.  Some of the photos, well over 100 years in age, originally belonged to Julia Swann Mahone and were given to my grandfather by her grandson, Otis Hammock.  Some were his.  I have attempted to make a permanent record of these photos for future generations.  Since they are so old, they are fading and becoming brittle.  Some have a form of mildew on them that was caused by improper storage through the years.  You can see these little "spots" in the scanned images.  The original photos must be kept in a controlled atmosphere in archival safe containers.  Humidity and light are their worst enemies. 

I have identified all the individuals I could (either from personal knowledge or as actually identified on the photos).  You will note there are many who have not been identified.  If you can identify any of these unidentified individuals, please furnish that information to me.

It is my feelings that these photos belong to the family.  “The family” is anyone who is related to the Harper and Swann families contained herein.  I think I was blessed to have the opportunity to document the images of our ancestors for generations to come.  Hopefully, they disk will be enjoyed by all who use it as much as I enjoyed creating it.

If any who view these photos have additional photos they would like to add to this collection and share with the family, I will be more than happy to include them.  Either allow me to scan your photos and return them to you, or furnish a scanned .jpg (preferably 600 dpi but 300 dpi minimum) image to me for inclusion.

Since you can't zoom in on the listing, I have added two columns here:  The first column corresponds with the Photo No. column and the next with the Identification of persons in the photo.  If you would like copies of any of the following and/or a copy of the Index, leave a request below and I will email you a copy.

1	Ras Swann; Olin Adair; Edna Dickerson Stroud; Julia Swann Mahone
2	Alice Parker Reeves
3	Mary Hellen Linnings
4	Henry Swann; Arthur McCollum
5	Swanns, probably taken at campmeeting or a reunion
6	Swann Tent, Smyrna Camp Ground, Conyers, Georgia
7	South River Mill -- looks like a flood
8	Unidentified
9	Possibly Nancy Swann (Turner)
10	Julie Swann (Mahone) on left; Nancy Swann (Turner) on right; Matilda Green Harper (Swann) sitting
11	Otis Franklin Swann, Sr.
12	Matilda with Sons: L-R (top/down): Charles D. Swann; Henry Swann; Edward Swann; Matilda Green Harper Swann
13	Carl Steven Swann
14	Carroll Leslie Swann, Edward Wilson Swann, Jr., William Wilson Swann, Marc Huson Swann, and Edward Wilson Swann, Sr.
15	Mr. & Mrs Sorensen
16	Edward Wilson Swann
17	William G.(Bill) Swann; Charles Swann
18	Unidentified
19	Unidentified
20	E. L. Swann (Leroy)
21	Unidentified
22	Unidentified
23	Unidentified
24	Will Todd or Charles Abney ?
25	Will Todd or Charles Abney ?
26	Edd Harper
27	Unidentified and Esma Green
28	Nancy Swann (Turner); Henry Swann;  Julia Swann (Mahone); Ras Swann; Alberta Walcott
29	Nancy Swann Turner
30	Annie Parker, Atlanta, Georgia
31	Unidentified
32	Martha Swann Carter
33	Julia Swann Mahone
34	Unknown
35	James Fletcher Mahone, Jr.
36	James Fletcher Mahone, Sr.; Juliam Swann Mahone (sitting on lower step right)
37	Pulm Swann
38	Carl Steven Swann
39	Edward Wilson Swann
40	Charles D. Swann
41	Nancey "Nannie" Amanda Harper Todd; Robert Todd
42	Bertha Todd; either Nancy Bibb Todd Gibbs or Margaret Harper, Nancy Swann Turner
43	Edward Wilson Swann
44	Charles D. Swann
45	Margaret Swann
46	Nellie Swann; Margaret Swann
47	Nancy Swann Turner, Dave Harper, Margaret Harper, Charles Swanna, unidentified Child
48	Julia Swann Mahone; Nancy Swann Turner
49	Daisy Dickerson Forbes; Julia Swann Mahone
50	Charles D. Swann
51	Unidentified
52	Nancy Swann Turner
53	Edwin Taylor
54	Katie Nep Swann
55	Jake Abney
56	Unidentified
57	Margaret Harper
58	Unidentified
59	Jim Harper
60	Julia Swann Mahone
61	William Wilson Swann
62	Charles D. Swann
63	James Henry Swann
64	Joseph Sheppard
65	Julia Swann Mahone; James Henry Swann; Nancy Swann Turner
66	Matilda Harper Swann; James Henry Swann
67	Matilda Harper Swann
68	Matilda Green Harper Swann; William Wilson Swann
69	Julia Swann Mahone
70	Edward Wilson Swann
71	Harpers and Swanns
72	Harpers and Swanns
73	Fletcher Swann
74	Charles D. Swann
75	Julia Swann Mahone, Joseph Sheppard



Page 1 of 14 of the Index



Photographs

Photo holders are available in many styles.  I purchased this one in the shape of a sunflower at a local store (about $10).  I then printed photographs of my parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents on my desktop printer.  I scaled the photographs to the size I desired, then printed and trimmed for insertion in the photo holder.  I made two of these--one for my brother and one for my sister--displaying four generations of my family. 

NOTE: I use PrintMaster 18.1 (not to be confused with PrintMaster 2011) software, which is a desktop publishing program.  I find PrintMaster 18 to be a very user friendly program and limited only by your imagination.