Buried Secrets: Looking for Frank and Ida

Buried Secrets: Looking for Frank and Ida is the true genealogical detective story of how Anne Hanson discovered the hidden past that her grandparents took to their graves. When she finally unearthed their real identities, she learned that their tales were lies invented to conceal disturbing facts. 

Author Anne Hanson will join us on Zoom, as she depicts her quest to break through the brick wall that concealed Frank and Ida's secrets and how, after solving the mystery, she wrote a book about the experience. She discusses how the family quest got started during her dad’s childhood, when he was baffled by his parents' extreme secrecy about their pasts. She describes how for decades, various family members' genealogical research failed to confirm even the simplest facts of Frank and Ida’s supposed histories. She explains how a long-hidden box of photos provided the tiny clue through which she finally solved the mystery. Although her discoveries were painful for her dad, she gave him answers he had longed for his entire life. 

Hanson also discusses the process of writing Buried Secrets and how the experience deepened her relationship with her dad. Buried Secrets is both a suspenseful, real-life drama and a story about love, sacrifice, and family relationships.

Sponsored by Medina County Genealogical Society. Attend on Zoom. Optional viewing at Medina Library.