Category: Family Photos

The Importance of Collateral Relatives in Family History

What is a collateral ancestor? In genealogy, collateral relatives are the siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and other family members who branch off from your direct line. They may not be your direct ancestors, but they often hold the clues, stories, and records that can help fill in the gaps of your family history.

During the COVID years, I was contacted by a cousin who found me through my blog. She was researching her Logan family and reached out, hoping I might be able to help. At first, I wasn’t sure how much information I could offer. Most of what I knew came from my own research, but we soon discovered we shared an interest in the Logans of Restalrig and had a DNA connection. I shared what I knew about the family, the Logan clans, and a few resources that might help her continue her search.

Several months later, she mentioned that she had old family photographs of some of her Logan relatives. My first thought was that they probably wouldn’t have much relevance to my own line. Fortunately, I was wrong.

I’ve often encouraged researchers to “go sideways” and learn about collateral relatives, not just direct ancestors. This was a perfect example of why. Among her collection was a photograph of my third-great-grandfather, Lemuel Logan (1797–1869). Until that moment, I had never seen a picture of him.

These photographs were found in an old album that belonged to her great-grandfather, who was my second cousin, twice removed. What makes the story even more interesting is that she descends from Lemuel’s first wife, while I descend from his second wife. Without the records, photographs, and stories preserved by another branch of the family, I might never have seen an image of my third-great-grandfather.

This experience is a great reminder of why collateral research matters. Family history is not just about tracing a single line backward. It is about understanding the entire family and the connections between its branches. The relatives who seem unrelated to your immediate research question may be the very people who hold the missing photograph, family Bible, letter, or story you’ve been searching for.

When we research siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and their descendants, we often uncover information that would never appear in our direct ancestral line. In my case, a cousin’s old photograph album provided a priceless glimpse of an ancestor I thought I would never see.

So the next time your research seems to hit a brick wall, consider looking sideways. Your collateral relatives may be holding the piece of the puzzle you’ve been missing all along.

A vintage photograph of a man with a signature that reads 'grandfather Logans.' The photo has a watermark indicating it belongs to someone named C. G.

Monthly Family History Goals for Genealogy Success Part 2

A new year is around the corner, which means new puzzle pieces. Instead of letting your calendar boss you around, save a spot for family history. Fifteen minutes a day, an hour a week, or a once-a-month binge. Pick what fits and stick with it. I laid out clear monthly goals you can mix and match.

May – Do a House History

Ever wondered who lived in your home before you? Or maybe your ancestor’s old address still exists. Start by gathering clues from deeds, tax records, and city directories. Check with your local property appraiser or courthouse for ownership history. Historical societies often have maps or photos showing the evolution of your neighborhood. If you’re researching your ancestor’s home, look for census records tied to that address and old newspapers for local gossip or “who moved in” tidbits. You might even uncover your family’s house being sold, built, or remodeled in the classifieds!

June – Go Outside!

Spring is the perfect time to take your genealogy out for a walk. Visit old family neighborhoods, ancestral farms, or cemeteries. Take photos of headstones and markers (and upload them to Find a Grave or BillionGraves to help others). Walk through historical districts or open-air museums for the architectural context of your ancestor’s era. If possible, bring family members along—someone might recall details you’ve never heard before. Don’t forget sunscreen, bug spray, and a notebook!

July – Reconnect with Relatives

Summer is reunion season. Plan a family gathering, even if it’s just a Zoom call. Reaching out to relatives—especially those DNA matches you’ve been curious about—can uncover photos, stories, or documents that fill big holes in your research. Be polite, respectful, and share something of your own (like a cool discovery or photo). This helps build trust and keeps the communication going. Remember: today’s cousin connection could be tomorrow’s biggest genealogy breakthrough!

August – Dive into History

Take a deep dive into the local or regional history tied to your ancestors. Visit your hometown’s museum or historical society. Read old newspapers to understand what life was like during your ancestor’s lifetime—wars, weather, prices, and social issues all shaped their stories. For a modern twist, use AI tools or online archives to create timelines that show what was happening during key years of your ancestor’s life. Understanding the bigger picture helps bring those names and dates to life.

September – Improve Your Skills

Genealogy is a lifelong learning adventure. Dedicate this month to building your expertise. Attend online webinars or local workshops. Explore podcasts, YouTube channels, and online courses that cover DNA interpretation, record analysis, or writing family stories. Consider joining genealogical societies—they often offer exclusive training sessions and resources. Keep a notebook (or digital log) of what you learn so you can revisit tips and apply them to your own research.

October – Be a Contributor

Give back to the genealogy community this month. Volunteer as a transcriber or indexer for archives and record projects. Respond to photo requests on Find a Grave or share obituaries and family photos online (with permission). Contributing helps preserve history and strengthens your research network. You might even meet distant cousins or researchers working on the same lines. Every name indexed or photo uploaded makes a difference!

November – Write It Down

It’s NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), so grab that keyboard or pen and start writing your ancestor’s story. It doesn’t have to be long—pick one ancestor or one event and describe it in your own words. Use documents, maps, and photos to make it feel real. If you want to share, submit your story as a guest post on Loganalogy or create a small family keepsake to give as a holiday gift. Writing brings your research to life and ensures your ancestors are remembered.

December – Share the Traditions

The holidays are made for reminiscing. Cook traditional family recipes, decorate with heirlooms, and share stories of relatives from holidays past. You could even create a “Family Traditions” scrapbook or record video interviews with older relatives. Don’t forget faith-based or cultural customs—these often hold deep ancestral meaning. Sharing these moments keeps your heritage alive and teaches younger generations where they came from.


Visit Loganalogy.com and my Research Specialist page to get guidance that fits your time and budget.

How to Store Photos and Letters for Long-Term Preservation

The Science of Saving Memories:

Temperature and Humidity Control

📅 Published: December 15, 2024👤 By: Heritage Keeper

Your family’s precious documents and photographs are more vulnerable than you might think. Every day they sit in storage, invisible chemical processes are slowly breaking them down. But here’s the good news: with the right environmental controls, you can dramatically slow this deterioration and preserve your heritage for generations to come.

Temperature Golden Rule: Keep storage areas below 75°F (24°C). Cooler temperatures slow chemical decay and reduce insect activity that can damage your materials.

Humidity Sweet Spot: Maintain relative humidity below 65% to prevent mold growth, but above 15% to avoid brittleness. Aim for 45-55% for optimal preservation.

Think of your attic in summer – temperatures can soar above 100°F with humidity levels that create perfect conditions for mold and insect damage. Similarly, that damp basement might seem cool, but high humidity is equally destructive. The ideal storage space is climate-controlled, like a main living area of your home.

Continue reading about environmental controls →

Cold Storage: The Secret to Saving Color Photographs

📅 Published: December 10, 2024👤 By: Photo Preservation Expert

Those vibrant color photos from your childhood? They’re fading faster than you realize. Color photographs, slides, and negatives are particularly vulnerable to deterioration, often showing significant fading within just a few decades when stored at room temperature.

Professional archivists use cold storage to extend the life of color materials by decades or even centuries. While this requires special preparation and packaging, it’s the most effective way to preserve your most precious color memories.

Cold Storage Benefits: Can extend the life of color photographs by 5-10 times compared to room temperature storage. Essential for irreplaceable family photos.

Before considering cold storage, ensure your photos are properly cleaned, organized, and packaged in archival materials. The National Park Service provides detailed guidance on preparing materials for cold storage.

Learn more about cold storage techniques →

Safe Storage Locations: Avoiding the Hidden Dangers

📅 Published: December 5, 2024👤 By: Archive Safety Specialist

Where you store your family archives matters as much as how you store them. Many well-intentioned families lose irreplaceable documents and photos to preventable disasters simply because they chose the wrong storage location.

Danger Zones to Avoid:

  • Basements: Prone to flooding and high humidity
  • Attics: Extreme temperature fluctuations and often dusty
  • Garages: Temperature extremes and potential water damage
  • Near pipes or windows: Risk of water damage from leaks
  • Kitchen or dining areas: Attract insects and rodents

Instead, choose interior spaces with stable temperatures, low humidity, and protection from water sources. A bedroom closet or dedicated storage room in your main living space often provides ideal conditions.

Pro Tip: Store items on shelves, never directly on floors where they could be damaged by minor flooding or cleaning activities.

Discover more safe storage strategies →

Archival-Quality Materials: Your First Line of Defense

📅 Published: November 28, 2024👤 By: Materials Science Expert

Not all storage materials are created equal. The boxes, folders, and albums touching your family documents can either protect them for centuries or slowly destroy them through acid migration and chemical reactions.

When selecting storage materials, look for products that are:

  • Lignin-free and acid-free or buffered
  • Appropriately sized (no folding or cramming required)
  • PAT-tested for photographic storage
  • Made from stable materials like polyester, polypropylene, or polyethylene

Avoid regular cardboard boxes, plastic bags, rubber cement, tape, and any materials that feel cheap or flimsy. These can release harmful chemicals or fail to provide adequate protection.

Shop for archival supplies with confidence →

Creating Family Archive Albums That Last

📅 Published: November 20, 2024👤 By: Album Design Specialist

A well-designed family album isn’t just a collection of photos—it’s a storytelling device that connects generations. But creating an album that will survive decades requires careful attention to materials and mounting techniques.

The safest mounting approach uses no adhesives at all. Instead, use acid-free photo corners or polyester sleeves that allow photos to be viewed while protecting them from handling damage.

Album Assembly Best Practices: Never overstuff pages or albums. Leave room for materials to expand and contract with humidity changes, and ensure easy handling without stress on bindings.

Choose binding styles based on how you’ll use the album. Ring binders allow for easy reorganization, while sewn bindings offer traditional elegance and durability.

Master the art of archival album creation →

📋 Preservation Checklist

  • Temperature below 75°F
  • Humidity 45-65%
  • Away from water sources
  • Acid-free storage boxes
  • Polyester photo sleeves
  • Climate-controlled location
  • Regular condition checks
  • Digital backup copies

🌡️ Quick Environment Test

Check your storage area:

  • Feel: Comfortable room temperature?
  • Smell: Any musty odors?
  • Look: Signs of water damage?
  • Listen: Pipes nearby?

If any concerns arise, consider relocating your archives.

📚 Recommended Supplies

  • Acid-free document boxes
  • Polyester L-sleeves
  • Archival photo corners
  • Buffered tissue paper
  • Digital thermometer/hygrometer
  • Museum-quality albums

🔗 Expert Resources

© 2024 Preserving Our Legacy. Dedicated to helping families safeguard their heritage for future generations.

Based on preservation guidelines from the National Archives and Records Administration

A Beginner’s Guide: Preserve Your Family History Digitally

Starting your family history journey can feel overwhelming, but one of the most rewarding first steps is digitizing your old family photos. Those boxes of pictures sitting in your closet contain priceless family stories, and converting them to digital files opens up a world of possibilities.

Why Digitize Your Family Photos?

When you transform physical prints into digital files, you create something much more valuable than the original:

You make them accessible. Instead of digging through boxes every time you want to see a photo, your entire family can view them instantly from anywhere in the world.

You protect them from disaster. Digital copies stay safe even if floods, fires, or simply the passage of time damages your originals. Old photos naturally fade, crack, and deteriorate, but digital versions remain pristine forever.

You can share them easily. Want to show your cousin that photo of great-grandma’s wedding? Send it through email, text, or social media in seconds.

Three Ways to Digitize Your Photos

Option 1: Use Your Smartphone

The simplest approach uses technology you already own. Your phone can become a powerful photo scanner with the right app.

PhotoScan by Google Photos gives you professional results for free. This app automatically removes glare and straightens your photos, solving the biggest problems with phone scanning. Simply download it from your app store and follow the simple instructions.

Photomyne offers additional features if you want to scan multiple photos quickly. It includes editing tools and can handle several photos in one session, though it requires a small subscription fee for full features.

Keep in mind that smartphone scanning works best for photos you plan to view on screens. If you want to make large prints later, you might need higher quality scans.

Option 2: Buy a Scanner

A flatbed scanner produces the highest quality results you can achieve at home. These devices capture every detail and work perfectly for photos you might want to enlarge or print professionally later.

Most modern scanners connect easily to your computer and include software that guides you through the process. Expect to spend 30-60 seconds per photo, making this method slower but more thorough than phone scanning.

Popular scanner brands include Canon, Epson, and HP. Look for models specifically designed for photo scanning if picture quality matters most to you.

Option 3: Hire Professional Services

If you have hundreds of photos or want the absolute best results, professional digitizing services handle everything for you.

Kodak Digitizing and Capture represent two well-established companies that specialize in photo conversion. They pick up or receive your photos by mail, scan them with professional equipment, and return both the originals and digital files.

These services often include extras like color correction, scratch removal, and organizing your photos into digital albums. While more expensive than doing it yourself, professional services save enormous amounts of time and guarantee excellent results.

Getting the Best Results

Whether you choose to scan photos yourself or hire professionals, these tips ensure better outcomes:

Start with clean photos. Gently wipe dust and fingerprints off each photo with a soft, dry cloth before scanning. Avoid using water or cleaning products.

Find good lighting. Natural light from a window works best, but avoid direct sunlight that creates harsh shadows or glare.

Scan at high resolution. Set your scanner or app to at least 300 DPI (dots per inch). This captures enough detail for clear viewing and future printing.

Consider photo editing. Simple software can brighten faded colors, remove scratches, and improve contrast. Many scanning apps include basic editing tools, or you can use free programs like GIMP or paid options like Photoshop Elements.

Organizing Your Digital Collection

After scanning, organization becomes crucial for finding photos later.

Create a logical folder structure on your computer. Try organizing by year, family branch, or event type. For example: “Family Photos > 1950s > Smith Family Reunion” or “Genealogy > Johnson Line > Wedding Photos.”

Add details to your photo files. Most computers let you add information like dates, locations, and people’s names directly to photo files. This makes searching much easier later and helps other family members understand what they’re seeing.

Consider using family history software like FamilySearch, MyHeritage, or Ancestry.com to connect photos directly to family tree profiles. These platforms help you organize photos alongside other genealogy research.

Protecting Your Digital Photos

Digital files can disappear just like physical photos, so create multiple copies:

Use cloud storage. Services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud automatically sync your photos across devices and keep them safe online.

Keep local backups. Store copies on an external hard drive or USB drive that you keep separate from your computer.

Share with family. Send copies to relatives who might want them. This creates natural backups and often leads to family members sharing their own photo collections with you.

Helpful Resources for Family History Research

As you digitize photos, you’ll likely want to learn more about the people and stories behind them. These websites offer excellent resources for beginning genealogists:

FamilySearch.org provides free access to billions of historical records and offers helpful research guides for beginners.

Ancestry.com combines extensive record collections with user-friendly research tools, though it requires a subscription for full access.

FindAGrave.com helps you locate cemetery records and often includes photos of headstones and family members.

Chronicling America (chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) lets you search historical newspapers for mentions of your ancestors.

The National Archives (archives.gov) offers guides for researching specific types of records and time periods.

Start Small, Think Big

Begin with just one box or album of photos. The process becomes easier with practice, and you’ll develop your own system for handling different types of photos and organizing results.

Remember that digitizing photos serves a bigger purpose than just creating computer files. You’re preserving family history for future generations and making it easier to share stories that might otherwise be lost. Every photo you save represents a connection to your family’s past and a gift to your family’s future.

Your descendants will thank you for taking the time to preserve these visual family treasures in a format they can easily access and enjoy.