Category: Tombstone Tourist
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Monumental Perspective
My 2nd great-grandmother Elisabeth Schmitt had 13 known siblings. One of her younger brothers, Emile, married the daughter of a beer baron in Cincinnati and played an instrumental role in the John Kauffman Brewing Company in the late 19th century. Although I am not related to John Kauffman, I have…
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Veterans Day
What we now know as Veterans Day is our opportunity to publicly commemorate the contributions of living veterans. Armistice Day, as it was called previously, officially received its name in America in 1926 through a congressional resolution. It became a national holiday 12 years later by similar congressional action. If…
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Headstone Genealogy
I’ve seen many headstones that provide wonderful clues for anyone researching that particular family tree. But none quite as wonderful as the Hollister headstone in Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis. The names, dates and relationships on the front and on the back made it easy to find the right Hollisters in the…
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How to Take Better Headstone Pictures for Find A Grave
“Help us find the ending to every family story.” This is the sentiment behind Find A Grave Community Days, an event in which genealogists and taphophiles everywhere are encouraged to “Help preserve your local cemetery.” I hope you’ll join the cause! It’s an amazing way to pay it forward for…
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Headstone Art Question
Those flowers and architectural details we see on headstones are purposefully chosen for the individual laid to rest there. For example, each flower has a different meaning: daises are for youth, innocence iris denotes hope, purity lilies signify the resurrection poppies are a symbol of eternal sleep roses mean motherhood,…
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Honoring the Dead at Lakewood Cemetery
Oh how I wish every cemetery had the trifecta of taphophiles Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis does! Last year I spent several hours of nearly every weekend photographing headstones for Find A Grave at this beautifully landscaped 250 acre garden cemetery. At the time the Find A Grave page for Lakewood…
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Ditto Marks in a Cemetery
I’m familiar with ditto marks in documents: But in a cemetery? I have to admit, this was a first for me..
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Voices in the Cemetery
Jim, a fellow Find A Grave contributor and blogger jokingly suggested conducting a séance after reading my post about the elusive Lily Flower. Our conversation continued by sharing experiences with the departed during our frequent cemetery visits. Jim mentioned a cousin who had been spoken to by cemetery inhabitants who…
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Not Buried Here
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…
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Lily of the Flower Family
I’m a bit confused about Lily and her relationship to the Flower family. Lily is buried in the center of the Flower family plot in Jewish Graceland Cemetery on Chicago’s north side. There is a record of her death on FamilySearch that seems to confirm her parents are the people named on the largest headstone in…
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