Finding The Owner of a Found Journal Using Social Media

A week ago, I found a journal at a second hand store. When I see journals at thrift stores, I always check to see if there is any writing in them. 

There were about 50 pages written in this journal. I only read the first page to see if there was information that I could use to find the owner. 

There was a name in the front page. There was a date of her birth in 1926. She shared how many kids were in her family as well. 

I have many times over the years picked up family pictures, journals, or family history information at second hand stores, and tried to find the owners, or family members of the owners, using social media. 

I took a picture of the name in the front page, and included the first page where she gave her birthday and talked about her family and where they lived growing up. 

I posted those pictures on social media asking for help on all the yard sale sites to see if anyone recognized the name. 

Several people replied and someone found her obituary. They found a grand daughter listed out of state, and I found her on Facebook and reached out. I never heard back from her. I posted a bit bigger post on social media, and today I had a friend of mine say that she found another grand daughter in our state and reached out on Facebook and she shared that she was very excited that I found it and would love it. 

My friend texted me her information, and I texted back and forth with her tonight. I have the journal ready to mail. They have NO idea how the journal got to my town as no one in their family lives in my town. 

I am grateful that I could find the family of the woman that wrote the journal, and I am grateful for all the people who reached out to help me find someone related to the owner. 

It is amazing to me how often family history and personal items get donated to thrift stores. I was shopping last year when I noticed photos of one of my best friends children. I contacted my friend asking if she meant to leave the family pictures in the frames she donated. She told me it was a mistake and asked that I take the photos out of the frame. I delivered them to her at her bunko night the next month. 

It should be a lesson to us all to make sure we go through all the items we donate! 

Have a Blessed Day!