Passports!

Today I was cleaning up for the great winter decoration bonanza may begin in earnest. I was moving around furniture when I came across a shoe box. I've seen it before, I've been through the papers in it before. I even remember when my husband found the box amongst my Grandfather's things. It was mostly legal papers regarding my Great-Grandfather. There was a picture in it, one each of the siblings got a copy of. I always wondered why a big chunk in the bottom left corner was white. Now I know- I have the original picture and that corner is missing.

There were other things in the box that I do not recall seeing before, even though I've gone through this box several times. I asked hubby and he doesn't remember seeing them either: Today I found the Italian Passports for my great grandparents which has their pictures and the pictures of their children. What a find! The stamps in the passports are really interesting too. What has been very interesting is finding my Great Grandmother's passport which not only has her maiden name, but also her mother's maiden name. This just opened up a whole new branch of the family tree! I just stopped to scan these: The passport cover and that nifty stamp:

I've never seen them before and just discovered them after days and days of working and feeling like I was getting close to something. Thanks to my Patrons, and to the Lare for revealing these, and so many other things, to me! Ave! Now I'm off to give thanks and explore this heretofore unknown branch of the family tree! And maybe to share some of the family picture scans with my cousins ;)