Historic Illinois Cemetery Project Is Documenting the Dead

Like many historic cemeteries, the Herrin City Cemetery in Herrin, Illinois, is trying to document all of the persons buried in the cemetery. So far their efforts have uncovered “89 previously unknown burial sites.” Good work! Are you working on a cemetery project this summer? If you are, here’s a cemetery research tip. Genealogy... (Read More)

Top Genealogy Websites, Pt. 6: Search Cemeteries Online

A few weeks ago I wrote about online cemetery records (See: Top Genealogy Websites, Pt. 3: Burial & Cemetery Records). In that article I wrote about the U.S. Veterans Administration’s Nationwide Gravesite Locator, Find-A-Grave, and BillionGraves. Now I want to show how you can help your family history research by using information from these... (Read More)

Effort to Mark 1,200 Unmarked Civil War Veterans’ Graves Hits Snag

American volunteers are out in cemeteries across the country, working to document the lives of bygone generations whose graves were not permanently marked with a tombstone. When these dedicated good Samaritans identify a veteran, the volunteers often request a headstone from the National Cemetery Administration which is part of the Department of Veterans Affairs.... (Read More)

Mystery of the Missing Wooden Tombstone in Colorado Solved

Bertha Welch (1883-1903) died 12 February 1903 from the complications of childbirth. A wooden tombstone for her was created and placed in historic Valley Brook Cemetery in Breckenridge, Colorado. This was the last legible wooden tombstone still standing in the historic Colorado cemetery, where it had been placed over 110 years ago. Then suddenly... (Read More)