where2look4ancestors

  • Maria Bukmakowski; My 2nd Great-Grandmother

    Much of Maria’s life remains a mystery. You’d think such a unique surname would help in my search, but I’ve always gotten the the same results: Nothing. Nada. Zip. Then today with my swanky new subscription to Newspapers.com, I did a global search for that German? Russian? Polish? surname. Imagine my surprise when I actually got some…

  • Find A Grave Contributors Answer More Questions

    In December I posed three questions to Find A Grave contributors whose virtual preservation work I admire: How did you discover Find A Grave? What motivates you to contribute? What is your favorite way to contribute (i.e. photos, vital information, obits etc.)? Answers to those first three questions are posted here.…

  • Wednesday’s Child: The Birthday Girl

      February 1960. The 34th president of the United States, Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower, was in office. People were listening to Running Bear by Johnny Preston. Our Man in Havana, directed by Carol Reed, was one of the most viewed movies released that year. Advise and Consent by Allen Drury…

  • Mother and Son

    What happened in January of 1890 to cause the deaths of both Claudine and her son Henrik Fjelde? Could it have been the flu pandemic that killed nearly a million people worldwide in little more than a year?  

  • Mystery Monday: Death Certificate 6872

    Such a tragedy! I’m not related to the Morgans, but I would like to solve the mystery of where this child was laid to rest. Can you help reunite this baby with her family here or on Find A Grave? Thank you for taking a minute or two to honor this short life.

  • Chicago Obituaries: January 30, 1894

    The following obituaries were transcribed from page 6 of the January 30, 1894 issue of the Chicago Daily News; “BAER-Jan. 2[8?], 1894 FRANZ BAER, beloved father of Mrs. Wendelin Seng, Frank Baer and Mrs. Nicholas Hansen, aged 77 years. Funeral Wednesday, Jan. 31, from his late residence, corner Clark-st. and…

  • Family Photo Friday: Colonial Williamsburg

    An “educational” vacation that turned out to be fun. Who knew?

  • Westlawn Cemetery Norridge Illinois

    It seemed like the main gates were closed every time I drove past Westlawn Cemetery. I really wanted to see this cemetery and I had hoped to fill a photo request for Find A Grave. This trip was no different – the cemetery gates were closed as usual so, a little disappointed,…

  • Hexagon Headstone in Wisconsin

    This beautiful hexagon headstone is in Forest Hill Cemetery and Mausoleum in Madison Wisconsin. Six members of the extended Whitaker family are interred here. Mary Whitaker Sandford 1910-1952 Bessie Sayles Whitaker 1880-1951 Henry Charles Whitaker 1874-1930 Robert Charles Ellis Sr. 1895-1981 Dorothy Whitaker Ellis 1907-1957 and Henry Whitaker Ellis 1939-1990. All…

  • Catherine Brun; My 6th Great-Grandmother

    Her son’s 22 Nov 1774 marriage record reads in part, “Christophe GROS fils majeur et légitime des défunts Nicolas GROS en son vivant laboureur de WIRMING et de Catherine BRUN…” Which [in English] reads, “Christophe GROS legitimate son of age [of majority] of the late Nicolas GROS, plowman in Wirming when he…