What’s Old is New

Image by J. Salvatore Domino

As we age, we build a collection of memories that, with any luck, will bring us joy in our final years.

But can you remember things that happened before you were born? While it is unlikely, it is possible to create new memories from evidence of past events.

Suppose you discover something about a loved one long after they have passed on, and that discovery triggers a fond memory? Then yes, when we discover additional facts, we can create new memories.

One way we can create fresh memories is by researching our genealogy. When we uncover new information and facts we didn’t know, it fills in a blank. It’s as if you’re inserting a piece in a jigsaw puzzle that brings the image closer to completion. The people in the puzzle become alive again, almost as if they have returned to life. They’re not with us in body, but back again, in spirit.

Recently, I was cleaning out my file drawers and came across an old leather wallet I had saved from my childhood. The wallet belonged to my grandfather. Inside were several small slips of gold paper. The papers had grown brittle with age, so I unfolded them with the utmost care. Much to my surprise, the wallet contained five old pay statements from my grandfather’s employer.

Even though I thought I knew him well, I never knew the name of the company or how much he earned. The pay stubs were from 1938. They show his pay rate, and one simple deduction called Deduction for Federal Old Age, or Social Security, as they called it in those days.

Image by J. Salvatore Domino

His rate of pay was $.60 per hour. Which was well above the minimum wage set by The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in 1938 of $.25 per hour. Remarkable considering my grandfather was an uneducated immigrant.

The company that he worked for is no longer in existence, at least in its original form. But the result of this discovery added a new chapter to understanding my beloved grandfather, and ultimately my heritage.

Unearthing his wallet also led me to some interesting history about my former hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Inside the inner flap, an endorsement from Harry C. Moir appeared embossed on the billfold. Prior to my discovery, I had never heard of Harry C. Moir. I wanted to know more, so I looked him up on the internet. Mr. Moir, a prominent businessman, was the owner of the Morrison Hotel in Chicago.

Image by J. Salvatore Domino

As one thing led to another, finding the wallet led me to research the Morrison, a luxury hotel with a rich past. The hotel, which opened in downtown Chicago in 1925, is no longer standing. However, my investigation yielded several interesting facts.

The Morrison Hotel, a high rise, was the first building outside of New York City to exceed forty stories. It was the world’s tallest hotel building for over thirty years. Even more noteworthy is that at the time of its demolition, it held the record as the tallest building ever voluntarily demolished.

They razed the building in 1965 to make way for the First National Bank of Chicago building. A place that I visited often as a customer when I worked in downtown Chicago.

So, the finding of this billfold, a relic of my grandfather’s past, turned out to be a treasure trove of history, and in turn, created some new-old memories for me.

I now have two fresh memories to ponder. Proving again that it is never too late to recreate a memory from your past.

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An earlier version of this article was previously posted on the blog From The Outside Looking In on Active Rain. https://activerain.com/droplet/FWCh