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My grandad, Jim, in his railroad gear. He worked for the Illinois Central and the L & N Railroad.

In 1850 U.S. President Millard Fillmore signed a land grant for the construction of the Illinois Central railroad, making it the first land-grant railroad in the United States.

My grandad was married to my grandmother for 67 years. I was lucky enough to know him for 45 years.

We always watched cartoons together on Saturday mornings. He always loved the Road Runner and Tom and Jerry.

He called me little monster, but I knew I had his heart always.

James Wesley Pate II, 1917-2007. I miss you every day. ~shared by @smarttimages

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This is my Grandfather, Peter Prato, and his best friend, and my father’s Godfather, Leo Taddeo, whom I knew growing up as Uncle Leo.
Williamsport, PA, circa late 1940s.

Uncle Leo passed away a little over a year ago. He ran a restaurant called The Columbia, one of the only places we ate Italian out.

Every time I saw him, he’d shake my hand and kiss me on the cheek and slip me a twenty. It was an insane amount of money for a kid.

After dinner, he’d give me and my sister a single Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.

I would have done anything for these men. They taught me to be decent, and loyal, and not to put up with bullshit. They also taught me the power of bribing children

“The songs of our ancestors are also the songs of our children.” -Philip Carr-Gomm

This is a photo of my Dad and his two sisters, circa 1931.

My Dad was incredible. He was totally present in my life, gave great advice and we were super close.

My Aunt Julia, the one with the glasses, was my favorite aunt. She wrote me letters every month, stuffed with clipped supermarket coupons, chicklets gum and a dollar bill. She used to drink generic brand X beer and that drove my Dad nuts!

My Aunt Hettie, the baby in the photo, was a letter writer too. She had multiple freezers in the basement, packed with meats like a bomb shelter, and an attic full of brand new clothes ordered from catalogs still in the plastic. She was a high class hoarder with a heart of gold.

Above all my memories, though, is that my Dad was the greatest storyteller ever and so funny. He always held court and dressed to the nines. ~ shared by @lizajessiepeterson

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Family photos are often the glue that holds our stories together.

This is my Granny Dot, who lived until she was 92 years old; through the Great Depression, War, serious illness, and the tragic loss of the love of her life.

She grew up on a farm in Australia and during World War II, she was an enemy plane spotter.

My Grandfather was in the Air Force, and was injured when his plane went down in the ocean. He was given leave, and when his unit arrived in my Granny’s town, they met and fell in love. They were married and as they walked from the church, it was announced that Japan had surrendered.

He built their first home, a farm and house by the beach in a nearby town, which my family still owns and which I visit every summer. They had four children. Granny said that my Grandfather used to serenade her as she washed the dishes.

In the early 1960s, my Grandfather was driving home and his Land Rover rolled over and he was killed. I could never imagine how that must have felt for my Granny and her children.

When Granny passed away about a month ago, we took her body back to our family home in the country, where we buried her next to my Grandfather, the love of her life.

We felt like we’d returned her home and that she and her love have been reunited.

The stories I have been told about my Granny and Grandfather, through photos, are absolutely moving. They are profound reflections of the times in which they were taken. And they are deeply human.

As you can see, my Granny was one tough lady. Rest in Peace, Granny Dot. I deeply admire and respect you. ~ shared by @hattiewhittle

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Old family photos are a time machine.

They take us back to a simpler time, when an adventure (a big one!) was skipping school and goofing around with you sister.

This is me and my little sister. I remember this day vividly.

My Mom let us both skip school and took us to the mall.
We had pizza for lunch and made our first trip to a real photo booth.

I’m the sassy brunette.
Photo circa 1970-something 😉 ~ shared by @ladyjanevintage

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This is a photo of my lovely Nan, Pamela. It was taken in 1954.

She doesn’t like this photo of herself as it was taken when she wasn’t very well and was going through a very tough time in her life. She had just lost her baby boy from a heart condition he was born with.

Although this photo makes me think of the pain she was in at the time, I also love it because it shows what a strong, resilient and amazing woman she was — and still is.

She is still smiling and being a wonderful mother to her eldest boy (pictured at the front) and looks truly beautiful. She went on to have five more children, the youngest being my mother, who is another inspirational woman!

My Nan didn’t always have it easy, but she always carried on and did her very best. When I look at this photo, it reminds me that I come from a family of strong women, and I hope I carry on the tradition. ~shared by @ZOEASTY

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This is my grandmother (right) Anne “Nancy” Prendergast with her sister and two of their farm dogs on their family farm in Accony, Ireland.

The family home still exists and I had the opportunity to visit it in 2010 with one of my father’s brothers.

The Prendergast’s were able to see their minuscule schoolhouse from their front door, though it would’ve been about a 10-minute walk. The schoolhouse has since been converted into a family home. The original sign still stands out front.

My grandmother was a beautiful woman, with an uncanny resemblance to my father and sister. I loved her very much, though she passed in 1998 when I was only 5 years old, of breast cancer.
I think about her every day and I would give anything to visit their home again in the future. This photo helps her memory live on. ~shared by @kimtuohy

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