Most genealogists are aware of Find A Grave. It's essentially a site that helps you find the graves of people, as the name might suggest. I discovered it about two years ago, and I have been happily adding memorials for all of my ancestors for which I have burial information. I've also requested several photos to be taken, particularly for tombstones that might yield some helpful information.
Thinking that I should do unto others as I would have them do unto me, I also volunteered to take photos in my area. Every now and again I'd receive an email saying that there was a photo request for a cemetery nearby. If I had the time, I'd head on over, wander around the cemetery until I found the requested headstone, take a photo, head home and upload said photo. I found it enjoyable. A few Saturdays ago I spent over an hour wandering around a cemetery, and I took seven photos of tombstones that people had requested. It was a little bit difficult to find the tombstones I was looking for because the ground was still partly covered in snow and the cemetery is reasonably large, but with the help of the groundskeeper I was able to find them all.
Karma, my friends. Because today somebody fulfilled a request that I put in well over a year ago. Here and here are the photos of my third-great grandparents (on my dad's mom's mom's mom's side, in case you were curious). I did one of my genealogy class projects on this family, and before I started my research our family didn't even know these people's names, so I feel an extra-close attachment to them since I found them. (Maybe only my fellow family historians can understand that sentiment). Definitely the highlight of my day.
But maybe not the highlight of my weekend since Eric and I found a place to live yesterday.
6 comments:
Yay! A place of your own!
And by "place of your own," I don't mean "a grave."
AWESOME!
Once in a great while I check your blog (from Janssen or Bart's). I had forgotten that you are a genealogist. Thanks for the tip. If I had known about Find a Grave, I had forgotten that, too.
I love cemeteries. So peaceful and interesting.
Glad to know that you have certain ancestors/relatives that you feel closer to than others. One time I mentioned that there were certain ones that I felt a connection with and others that I felt next to nothings about them. Whoever I said it to said they felt no connection whatever. (So, why would that person being doing family research???)
You are nothing if not interesting! I can't say that I share your love of cemeteries, but I am happy that you found a place to call your own. Enjoy!
Thanks for visiting my blog.
My dad is a historian and we grew up visiting cemeteries in every city, state and country we visited...
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