Person says wants to know how to get letters back to family, asks if I'm Kin.

[mozartbach1971]

I have some letters listed and a person messaged me and said they are his great aunt and uncle, and says I don't know who you are or how you got these, but I would like to know if we are kin and says my mom wants them please let me know how we can get them back to our family. Later they sent another message and asked if I'm getting the e-mails and the family is anxious to know how they are on here. I do from time to time get messages somewhat similar to this, however not that often.  I usually try to ignore these messages. Would that be the right thing to do in this case?

[soh.maryl]

Because it seems like this person wants the OP to give him the letters for free.   

[chapeau-noir]

---

@maxine*j wrote:

---

@this*old*attic wrote:

@maxine*j 

...  You realize you can find everything from army discharges to baptism records to literal photographs of dead relative's head stones on a variety of sites? Family history is all the rage now.

---

@this*old*attic 

Not without names, and even names I do not have.  I think my family never considered itself important enough to keep a history and maybe lacked the time and resources, given the effort it took just to keep the wolf from the door.  My parents were sharercroppers in the Ozarks, the folks Shahn and Lange and Bourke-White made a living photographing, you know?  They were then part of the WW2 Ozarks diaspora, because even ignorant hillbillies could get jobs in the munitions plants. 

=

---

My ancestors stumbled over Ellis Island with so many thousands of others coming off the ships, broke and beaten down, to face signs that said "Irish Need Not Apply" in windows when they sought work in New York City where they stayed.  No time for delicate collections and some left no trace.  The rest had to make a quick exit out of Germany just before WWI for being on the 'wrong side' - so no help there.  My DH's family came from Poland, though, and he actually found some paperwork on the Ellis Island website after it was developed - He also found records of six of his seven aunts and uncles (the eldest stayed in Poland).   So far I haven't found much of anything for my ancestors, but apparently not all records survived, names were sometimes phoneticized, mispelt, etc., making search difficult, dates are fuzzy.  I have some photographs.  My family is very long lived so I was able to get stories from my great grandparents, though, about their experiences, but it's all just memories.

I know if there were letters that I found online from my family I would definitely want them - so I understand that part of it - but I wouldn't be bullying and trying to whine about a 'scam' - that's no way to go about it.

[this*old*attic]

@chapeau-noir 
My grandfather, too! (on mom’s side)

Worked first laying railroad ties, various physical jobs. “Irish need not apply” everywhere.

Saved up money and brought brothers and sister over one by one. Youngest sister, Bridget, 17, got through Ellis island but died of tuberculosis 3 months later.

Saved more and bought a taxi, then another. Saved from THAT to buy a duplex so the family could live on one side and earn income from the other.

Real bootstrap story, and I get why my mom was just beyond frugal.

Then you add in depression era mentality…. it really changed a generation’s world view.

And you are right on the too busy and just surviving - we have only a bare trickle of memorabilia from that side of the family, and finally lost touch with both US relatives and back in Ireland by the 60s/70s

[7794heather · Accepted solution]

@mozartbach1971 

I'd love to hear the outcome of this. Did the messenger bid on your items or did you end up selling them to someone else? 

[mozartbach1971]

I'd love to hear the outcome of this. Did the messenger bid on your items or did you end up selling them to someone else? 

I did not hear back from the person since their last message. Another person won and paid for the item.

[auctionpet]

---

@mozartbach1971 wrote:

The person e-mailed me again and said either your not checking your e-mails or this is a scam, first of all that's my family, however that street address has never existed, if these are real I want them and will pay. 

 I'm not sure if I want to respond to this person at all after this message.

---

For someone with 0 feedback, they sure sound familiar with ebay emails. If the street address never existed, they can't possible be sure it's "their family", there are lots of people who have the same name and even live in the same town!  Zero FB person, yet they scour ebay looking for letters of potential relatives! 

If you haven't replied to them and prefer not to. Add them to your BBL and be sure the option to prevent messages is checked. Once you reply to them they can continue to bother you, even if on your BBL. 

If you decide to reply. Simply state your sorry for the delayed response, you are welcome to bid (buy), you have no particular info on them, as they were purchased a long time ago, can't recall where or when or with what.

Good Luck!

[7794heather]

---

@mozartbach1971 wrote:

I did not hear back from the person since their last message. Another person won and paid for the item.

---

Thank you for coming back and giving an update. I wish you luck on your selling journey!! Stay well!