Genealogy & Stone Hunting

[Lynn Coleman]

Hi all,

I've been working on my family genealogy for quite a while. I'm wondering if there are any others out there who also enjoy this hobby.

I'm also thinking, it's difficult to track down picture of tombstones and various information when you live states away. Here's what I'm wondering, do you think folks might be interested in helping out forum members if they are camping or living in various areas? Or do you think that's too much to ask?

For example: I have a relative buried at Andersonville. I know my parents found his record there but he's simply a number (something they don't recall) in a long stream of numbered markers. And yet, I'd love a copy of his marker to go with the family history I'm working on.

I don't know what do you all think?

Lynn

[ARKPAT]

Lynn that would be great. Some of my family are very into Genealogy & Stone Hunting for family members. They usually save results at a Library for others to pickup and find the roadmap later. Interesting family history everyone has one.



Pat

[fireaunt]

I bought my tear thinking I would take off and go do my genealogy. The husband isn't as interested and not very patient so I haven't gone yet but that's my dream. Each year from about 1998 to 2003 my mom and I went to look for relative, dead and alive. We had fun but she can't travel and I don't have anyone to go with. I am looking at PA, NH, MA, CT, VA, WVA, OH, IN, KY, KS, IA, OK, TX, OR & CA and probably a few others. Do you have a subscription to ancestry.com? There is also findagrave.com. I've been working on mine since 1988 when my 100 y/o gmother died and we found lots of old letters and information.

I can talk your ear off.

Marilyn

[Miriam C.]

Mike's pretty into it and has done a lot of ours. We were hoping to go to VA and WV to do some stone hunting but the oil companies need our donations too.

If someone needs a picture I can get them from SW Missouri. Or even KS when I go that way.

[BILLYL]

My wife and I enjoy this hobby quite a bit. Since I am first generation I have had to concentrate on east Europe records. I have been able to trace the family back to the early 1700 from these records and a few years ago went to my father's home city and had the great opportunity of meeting with a bunch load of cousins. That was an experience I will never forget. In fact we are planning to go back in about 2 years.

right now I am hunting down a aunt that ran away and married when she was about 15yo. This happen in Gary WV around 1924. Local church records where lost and so I do hope to take the Tear Drop for a extended trip.

A very good source of info is your Family History Centers - LDS church. Check in your area for a LDS church.

Bill

[Lynn Coleman]

Lynn that would be great. Some of my family are very into Genealogy & Stone Hunting for family members. They usually save results at a Library for others to pickup and find the roadmap later. Interesting family history everyone has one.



Pat

How does one leave information at the library. Is there a form to fill out? I'd love to pass along what I've found and make it easier for the next person.

My mom's family comes through Canada and family records are in French, and her line is the hardest to follow. But I'm working on it. I'm also working on webpages to make the information I've gathered helpful to others. My maiden name is Putnam and there's been a lot of research done on this name, I can easily trace my line back to 1040. However, there are holes and I'm slowly tracking those down. I found the adoption record through a record of "those who legally changed their names." I still don't have the names of the people who adopted her.

It's amazing but with all I've done, I still feel I'm a novice at this hobby.

Lynn

[Lynn Coleman]

I am looking at PA, NH, MA, CT, VA, WVA, OH, IN, KY, KS, IA, OK, TX, OR & CA and probably a few others. Do you have a subscription to ancestry.com?

I haven't subscribed to ancestry.com but mostly because of the cost and how seldom I'm able to actually work on the genealogy.

Most of my family has been in MA. We didn't leave the state until the later years of my parents generation, only my brother remains in MA.

Lynn

[fireaunt]

Miriam,
I have been to Labette and Montgomery Kansas to to some searching on my dad's side and in northwest MO in Davies Co. where my grandmother was born. There is a new genealogy library up there that is supposed to be great..

[fireaunt]

What I have seen at libraries varies. Some have family group sheets you can leave (you can zerox what you have) and leave in a folder usually filed with the pamphlets. You can leave your contact info on it. It could be a long time til some one sees it so make it a permanent type address. Some people leave a waterproof contact at a cemetery headstone too. I have even seen a contact card stuck in books by the name I am searching. In Independence MO they had a notebook with names you were searching and so volunteers do lookups! Although, Rootsweb.com has been purchased by ancestry, you can still access the info there for free. USgenweb.com is also free but bought by ancestry.

[Miriam C.]

I don't know if Mike is still a member of Ancestry.com but he really liked digging through the records.

My mom's family is Perdue/Eames (or Aimes) so not too hard to find records in VA and even here. Joplin has a wonderful Genealogy room in our Library.

[fireaunt]

My mother is from Bartlesville OK and her dad from Edna KS and gmother from Jameson MO - I know I could find lots in Joplin - I soooo want to get out to follow the genealogy trails.

Marilyn

[SuperTroll]

I've worked my family tree out to 6 generations, beginning in 1757 to present. I've found that with a little massage here and there, Google Images can provide pictures of people, places and things that you would never expect....try image googling "marker _ _ _ _ _ _ andersonville"....ya never know....

as for the original question, sure why not? Heck, if we can hunt caches while traveling, why not tombstones?

[fireaunt]

Try Findagrave.com They have tons of info and photos of tombstones and sometimes a generous offer to go photograph for you/

[Lynn Coleman]

Wow thanks for the info. I'll check out find a grave.

I've been playing with a name for a group of us T & TTT ers that are working on genealogies but Rooty Tears doesn't sound quite right.

Tombstone Tears has some promise.

Seriously, I think it would be fun to start a special section to help us connect with one another and to allows us to help each other in our search.

I live in North Central Florida if anyone knows of a stone they want photographed. I'd be happy to go.

Lynn

[HossHoffer]

My first advice is to get some software. It is free off the lds website and is just as sophisticated as any that you can buy.
[/url]http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp[url]
Look at the botom right hand of the page where it says Download PAF.

There are loads of genealogy or family history forums so find one that suits you and look for people there to trade favors. I use one that is for swedish ancestry and was able to get old family photos. It would be great to have a section on this forum where you could swap history stuff.

If you can, plan and have a family reunion and ask people to bring whatever family history stuff they have. Have a scanner, printer and copier ready and you will be amazed at how much you can get from just your family. My wife was able to copy, print and bind up her grandmothers journals and believe me, everyone wanted a copy.

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