In Searching for Buried Treasure I listed my course of action to find some “buried treasure” in my genealogy files/ephemera.
My search took me a little off course – which is nothing unusual for me. Before I actually pulled out the box of letters that I was going to look through, I noticed a box on my vanity that I’d only looked inside of one time. That was a few years ago when my dad first gave it to me. So I decided to open it back up to see exactly what was inside of it.
Upon opening the clasp and lifting a lid, there was an envelope on the top of the stack. It was addressed to my grandmother, Ella Amore, and was from the US Army Recruiting Office at Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio. Apparently it was sent upon my dad’s enlistment in the Army Air Corps and wanted to make sure that all of his statements were true.
Behind that were other envelopes containing pictures I had actually sent to my dad many years ago as the kids were growing up. He returned the pictures to me.
Next were two handkerchiefs. One was sent from my dad to his mother when he was stationed in Iceland and the other was one that he had given to her when he was a young boy.
Underneath the hankies was a Webster notebook. My dad had used it in 6th grade. Apparently it was for History as he had pasted a photo from a magazine, book or newspaper on one page and opposite that wrote a brief explanation that related to history.
On the right hand side next to the books and documents were a horseshoe, a film canister filled with sand that was labeled White Sands, New Mexico 1933, a tiny lapel or tie pin that was labeled with my Uncle Paul’s name, a small lock, a watch without the wristband, a mother of pearl handled pocket-knife, a ceramic ashtray and a football with something inside. My dad told me that he hasn’t opened that football in over 50 years. He thinks there is a pecan or a nut inside the football. 
Underneath the notebook was a book on Agriculture. I think my father either had an Ag course in high school or he bought it to read.
This gave me just a small glimpse into my dad’s younger life. Items that he thought were important – or at least important to him. And if they were important enough for him to keep in a trinket box, then they are important enough for me to hang on to in order to always have a part of my dad with me in the years to come.
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All My Branches Genealogy 