Something That Has Haunted Me For 44 years.

[AUTMAN]

When I was 14 years old we had some friends who lived in a 100 foot beautiful rambler home in a place called Accokeek, Maryland.
They owned about 3 acres of land, and on this land next to there home was a old Victorian farm house.
There daughter was a few years younger then me her name was Linda.
Well Linda and I would play like we were married, and that the old house was ours.

This house really scared me I always thought it was haunted.
It looked haunted and strange noises cam out of it.

Is That A Boy Or A Girl To The Left ?

Do You See Anything In This Picture ?

One day I got brave enough to climb up into the attic, and explore.
I found some old bottles and two ends to a hand organ. the middle had dried up and fell apart.The one other thing I found was this picture album. It had fallen between the rafters.
The album was filled with 30 family pictures of women and men and a few children.

Well it has been 44 years now and I have decided to try and find the family who these pictures belong to. I just love challenges and this one is a big one. the pictures are from the mid 1900s to late 1900s.
I thought I might share them with you since every person in these pictures are probably dead. My hopes is that you may be able to help me figure out how to go about this. I know the road the house was on and the area it was in, and have found the town historical society to contact.
Now the pictures were taken in France because it says so on the back of all of them. there is a phone number except it is only 5digits long.
I can use the language translation web site to help with the words. do any of you have any other suggestions that may help ?.

Thanks autman

[Joe]

Well your going to need an address (street name) or owners name to get anywhere with this. If you had this info., check out the city directory of that town. The city directory should go all the way back to 1860. You can look it up on the towns library of where the house stood. I'll tell you right now, if it's not in the town/city directory, it'll be hard to find info at this place and the people who lived there but it is possible. Like you said, "I can also contact Maryland public records,Maryland Historical Society,Prince George's County Historical Society,The Maryland State Archives,Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties." if you go to the Historical society, they'll have you look up or contact the following:

*) Bureau of Land Management
*) Historic Preservation Commission
*) The county Assessor's Department
*) The county Health Department-Birth/Death Certificates
*) County Recorder of Deeds
*) Town/city Chapter-American Institute of Architects
*) Landmarks Commission
*) Town/city Planning & Development Department
*) Water Department
*) Genealogy Center

It'll be alot of work but first try the city/town directory. The instructor asked a man his name. The instructor looked it up in the city director of Kansas City and told the man who his family members were by name, they occupation(s), when they lived at a certain residence, ect...
Back in the old days, the city came out to everyone's house and asked them multiply questions and make records of it. So that'd be a good place to start, if you had a name or address.

Hope this helps.

[AUTMAN]

Thanks Joescan0005.tif
I really appreciate all info.
I have reached the museum of Charles Olsommer in Neuchatel Switzerland.
He was the son of Louis Arthur Ducos Du Hauron who is the photographer of the photos.
They are looking up some of the numbers on the lithograph side of the photos to see if his records will come up with a name of the people who bought and may be in the photos.
I will be meeting with the people who owned the house when I found the album 44 years ago.
I will get the name and address of the original owners of the old house and, hopefully they will be the owners of this photo album.then I will have a name and address to go to the town/city directory.

Thanks again for all the help.

Charles-Clos Olsommer museum Museum

Located in the middle of the village of Veyras, this museum is dedicated to the French painter from Neuchâtel who lived here from 1912 to 1966. Opening hours Summer and Winter July - August: Thursday - Sunday : 14:00 - 17:00, January - September: Saturday - Sunday : 14:00 - 17:00 Rates Adult : CHF 5.- Child till 18 years: CHF 4.-

[Joe]

Good deal! Glad to hear your making head way. Those are some amazing photos. Keep us updated.

[Jane]

you are amazing to all this research and work.
wonderful
thanks for sharing the journey with us.

[AUTMAN]

Thanks Jane
You just never know how these things turn out,but I look forward to the excitement of the challenge.
I could be holding someones whole family history, and if I can find out who they are I may be able to return them to there rightful owner, and just maybe help complete some ones family tree.

[Tkay - Moderator]

Have you had any luck Autman?

[AUTMAN]

No one has contacted me back yet.
I am still waiting for a response.
I'm waiting for my Granddaughter to come over again so I can invite the family who owned the old house were I found the photo album.
I want them to see her at the same time I talk to them about the photo pictures.

[Roberto]

Have you tried posting the pictures in genealogy websites?

[AUTMAN]

Great idea
As soon as I get a last name and address I will look into it.
Thank You.

[Roberto]

You don't need names or address for those pictures. Just post them like you did here, with an explination. I've been doing genealogy on my family's roots since 2002 & seen pictures like those you have, posted on the website. It helps.

[AUTMAN]

Hi Roberto
Witch genealogy websites to you suggest would be the best for posting these pictures ?