Jan Doerr

Writer

The wallet that belonged to the author's great-great-great-grandfather, Samuel Church. (Jan Doerr/Courtesy)

My son never met the lady who wore that wedding gown. He sees her as a leaf on the family tree...

The white wool wedding gown worn by the author's maternal grandmother, Lula Roberts McLeod, in December, 1899. (Jan Doerr/Courtesy)

The Value Of Family Heirlooms In A Digital Age

Janet Doerr: "How long can we expect mementos to remain valued by a younger generation three generations removed from the original owner?" (Sebastian Scheiner/AP)

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Life

Opinion

family

Midwife Martha Ballard wrote in her diary about delivering babies in my house, as well as attending an autopsy in my kitchen.

Midwife Martha Ballard attended an autopsy in this kitchen. (Jan Doerr/Courtesy)

We cannot un-know, we cannot un-see, so best we un-worry, and enjoy the stories, preserve the photos and block the drafts.

The Asa Williams House, c. 2013 (Jan Doerr/Courtesy)

Labor Of Love: Preserving A 226-Year-Old Family Home, And Preparing To Let It Go

Jan Doerr: "Any buyers of this antique home will gain an opportunity, not an obligation, to enhance, appreciate, conserve and preserve its history. I will move on to add other stories to the family thicket." Pictured: The Asa Williams House, c. 1912 (Jan Doerr/Courtesy)