One might think that when a wayward object travels through time and across great distances, only to find rest in the donation bin at a Goodwill store, that its destiny lies far from where it started. But when workers at one Denver thrift store spotted a 19th century Bible that had names listed inside, they made it their mission to reunite it with members of that family.

Inside the 1812 Bible originally published in England, employees found an inscription in black script with a name, birthdate and date of death inside, along with the area where the family lived. The last inscription ended with another family member who had passed away in 1932, reports 9 News.

From there, Goodwill’s chief people officer, who happens to be a genealogy enthusiast, heard about the discover from the company’s CEEO and decided she had to track down the current day family.

After searching the Internet she was able to trace the Bible back to a descendant of the family in London, who got in touch with his brother in New Jersey.

The New Jersey man said he had no idea how his great, great grandfather’s uncle’s Bible made its way across the centuries to end up in the U.S., but it’s in good hands from now on.

“I intend to take good care of it for future generations,” he said.

I hope the same thing happens one day to my descendants, when they are finally reunited with the copy of Sweet Valley High’s Dangerous Love, but it might be hard because I crossed out my last name and used the last name of my 6th grade crush instead. Let’s hope technology is up to that task.

Heirloom Bible discovered in Denver thrift store [9 News]

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