Harry H. Laughlin form letter requesting pedigree information from relatives of a family that had submitted a family study

1737. Carnegie Institute of Washington Department of Genetics Eugenics Record Office Founded by Mrs. E. H. Harriman Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, N.Y. The work of this office consists largely in collecting and studying the family records of better American families. In this work we are concerned largely with the family record as a pedigree showing the distribution and inheritance of certain physical, mental and moral qualities. One of your relatives has prepared one of these studies for his own particular branch of the family, and we take this occasion to inquire whether you are interested in extending this record for your own section of the family-tree. The record now in our possession is being carefully indexed and permanently preserved, and will be used only for the use of the family described and for scientific study; no publicity will be given to it without the families' instruction. If you care to continue this study for your own immediate kin we should be glad to send you two copies of the convenient blank schedule called the Record of Family Traits. These are always sent in duplicate in order that the person who fills them out may retain one copy for his own use and may file the second or duplicate in the permanent archives of this office. Very sincerely, H. H. Laughlin. [end]