This first contact marks a pivotal transfer of physical family history. As the youngest sibling, Jeff lived with our father the longest and inherited the bulk of family photographs and albums. His willingness to release those materials—despite their disorder—made large portions of the MyCousins archive possible.
At a Glance
- First Contact: July 30, 2020
- Primary Surname: Elcik
- Medium: Email
- Role in Project: Archive holder; artifact transfer point
Correspondence Log
Contact #1 — July 30, 2020, 7:38 PM — Email
Jeff Elcik:
John,
For the early years, I need to get these pictures to you or Jim, since they will be more meaningful to you guys. They are in total disarray. A few things I can discern, but a lot looks like mom and dad’s friends. They must have honeymooned in Niagara Falls. Lol. That’s where some of the pics I sent came.
Jeff
Sent from my iPhone
Contact #2 — August 7, 2020, 11:16 AM — Email
Jeff Elcik:
John,
I’m pretty sure Aunt Mary moved to Texas. I want to say, Corpus Christi.
Jeff
Why This Contact Mattered
Jeff’s contribution was not interpretive but foundational. By recognizing that the photographs would be more meaningful in the hands of those actively organizing the family history—and by letting go of sole possession—he ensured that decades of visual history could be sorted, identified, and preserved rather than remaining inaccessible or eventually lost.