Genealogy clues abound in nearly every cemetery I visit.

Sometimes immigration, relationship, and residency clues present themselves in abundance on just one headstone:

The Cheney family monument in Riverside Cemetery, Black River Falls Wisconsin
The Cheney family monument in Riverside Cemetery, Black River Falls Wisconsin

 

At times, the overall layout of a family plot will reveal names and relationships:

The Berlet family plot in Montrose Cemetery, Chicago Illinois
The Berlet family plot in Montrose Cemetery, Chicago Illinois

 

Sometimes the only record of a child who was born and died between censuses is found on a headstone:

Lucy Isabel Shook in Oak Hill Cemetery, Janesville Wisconsin
Lucy Isabel Shook in Oak Hill Cemetery, Janesville Wisconsin

 

These and other important clues are available on Find A Grave because volunteer contributors put them there.

As a genealogist, I know how exciting it can be to find an ancestor on Find A Grave. And how disappointing it can be when they can’t be found.

When I joined the Find A Grave community seven years ago, my goal was to add all my deceased family members. Then my goal expanded to add a number of memorials equal to the number of ancestors I have.

2016 05-27 Find A Grave 01

 

Think of the [even more] amazing resource Find A Grave could become if every genealogist added 4096 memorials!

I hope you’ll consider memorializing a few of the ancestors in your family tree this Memorial Day weekend.

It might just be the best cousin-bait ever used when fishing the internet for genealogist cousins.

3 responses to “Find A Grave is a Numbers Game; Family Trees”

  1. Luanne @ TFK Avatar

    Just another thing I love and am so behind in [sigh].

    Like

    1. Laura Aanenson Avatar

      Oh Luanne, you and me both! LOL If I had the time to do everything I want to do, I would be a very wealthy woman indeed!

      Liked by 1 person

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I’m Laura

and I’m interested in all things genealogy. Join me as I continue my decades-long quest to learn more about my family history and the lives of my ancestors.