You never know what treasures you might find tucked away in attics, closets, or other places. Faith Broadwater Seltzer discovered this firsthand when she stumbled upon a relative’s unclaimed insurance policy during a family history research course I teach at Cecil College.
Faith and her classmates were in the computer lab exploring the rapidly growing array of online newspapers. While doing this, I asked class members to give me a few names so that we could practice search strategies.
Faith offered one, and soon, we located a long list of names in a paid legal advertisement in a 1960s Philadelphia newspaper. It was a listing of unclaimed assets from the Commonwealth Treasurer’s office. With this discovery, she tracked down the asset associated with the policy.
This story highlights the importance of delving into old family papers. You never know what valuable information might be hiding in long unexamined documents.
The retired nurse also volunteers at the Historical Society of Cecil County. One of her colleagues was processing these old insurance policies from the Cecil Mutual Fire Insurance Company and the Farmers and Mechanics Fire Insurance Company there. While curating the collection, they discovered fire-damaged policies. While she had no connection with this instrument, someone may have collected on one of the policies, providing another clue for those interested in tracing their family history.
So don’t forget to explore your attic or closets while checking out online newspapers. You might uncover something valuable to help you better assemble your family story or assist your wallet.
