I come across something unique in nearly every cemetery I visit.

Cenotaphs (monuments erected in honor of a person buried elsewhere) exist in many graveyards.

The cenotaph above was particularly interesting to me because of the wonderful genealogical clues it offers.

A family historian may have stumbled upon this memorial, as I did, in Bluff City Cemetery in Elgin, Illinois. And assumed as I might have at first glance, that Mr. McCredie was buried there.

The message on this headstone tells us not only William’s final resting place, but also (just by it’s location) that he is in some way connected to the Fox River Valley area of Illinois.

Isn’t is nice when our ancestors so thoughtfully provide us with helpful clues?