I spent some time labeling headstone pictures

[Marthe48]

My husband and I went with his uncle to visit cemeteries a few years ago. My brother-in-law called it the Tombstone Tour. It was an informative trip, and even though visiting graves was the focus, Uncle Jack also showed us an early family home (belonged to his grandfather and grandmother), other places that the families were connected to, and of course, many resting places. We visited 5 cemeteries in WV, and one on Marietta, Ohio. We went with him 2 times. The 2nd time, I took notes and my husband took pictures of the headstones. Both sides of his family go way back, early immigrants from England, Scotland, The Netherlands and Germany. large families on his Mom's side.

I visited my mother-in-law's grave Friday and let Uncle Jack know that I had put flags and flowers on some of the graves. It was a spur of the moment visit, but I had a few flags and flowers on hand. I let him know through a relative. He lost his wife of 74 years recently and then had some health issues. I thought it would give him a lift to know I had made a visit. I talked to him a week after his wife passed away and he sounded so frail. He called me Saturday to thank me for visiting the graves. He sounded a lot better, so I passed the news along to the rest of the family. Many of them were interested in getting the information about the cemeteries, so last night and today, I edited the notes I took and then labeled the pictures by cemetery and shared them.

I felt pretty good about getting this done. It had been on my list for awhile.

[SWBTATTReg]

1. What a thoughtful gift, how nice of you!

[Sneederbunk]

2. I understand the feeling.

I was able to find and visit the gravestones on my paternal side back to great x 5 going back to first death in Lancaster County PA in 1733 after immigration from Switzerland. The joys of the internet. However, on my mother's side I get nowhere after a couple of generations. Never give up with the genealogy.

[Marthe48]

3. There are several relatives researching my in-laws

They have found a lot of information and shared it. The 'Tombstone Tour' was a living lesson and I'm glad I shared what I've got.

Some of my in-laws have researched back to Scotland on the Moffatt side and back to 1400's Netherlands on the Robbins side. We are pretty sure that through Elizabeth Cortland, the Robbins were related to President Monroe's children. On the other hand, 3 of my 4 grandparents were 2nd or 3rd generation immigrants. I have tracked down about 3 generations of each. My Dad's father and grandmother had such common names (Smith and Davis), I have hit a snag trying to find my great-grandparents. I have a lot of information, just haven't found the right ones

I don't apply myself often enough

[csziggy]

4. My sisters and I spent a lot of summers helping Mom trace her genealogy

Since most of her ancestors moved to Perry County, Alabama between 1819 and 1834, we'd go spend part of the summers staying with her parents and wandering around graveyards taking pictures of tombstones. Mom would also spend time at the courthouse looking up wills and deeds, which I helped transcribe while I was learning to type.

I need to get those pictures labeled and online - they were taken in the 1950s and 1960s and the stones were in much better condition then. Looking at FindAGrave.com now, quite a few of them have been posted, but they are broken and damaged.

Good for you putting flowers at the graves.

[Marthe48]

5. Geneaology is gripping

I think it is one of those open-ended pursuits. You can always find something new

That was so kind of you to help your Mom, and what a great way to sharpen your typing skills.

[csziggy]

6. Yes, I love genealogy and still do it

In fact, now my husband and I are the archivists of the genealogy for both sides of our family. His mother was so much into it, she assembled a book with every person that had her maiden name as theirs and traced that branch of the family back to New Amsterdam. Her maternal grandfather had already traced that branch back as far as he could.

My Mom took her research back as far as the American Revolution to prove to her mother in law that though she was from a poor Alabama family, she had just as good roots. Grandmother was into DAR and joined in 1911 and took her family research back to multiple "Patriots." Mom ended up with more than Grandmother had, LOL.

But we now have all their research that I am trying to digitize and organize - plus I have to figure out who gets to inherit is when we're gone!

[Marthe48]

7. I wish you good luck!

My brother-in-law is hoping someone in the next generation will take over his collection. I am trying to keep family papers organized, but not doing that very well. I am using Family Search to make a tree and add information to that when I can. My nephew is interested. He and one of my first cousins got in touch through Family Search, which was cool.

[csziggy]

8. My nephew found a cousin no one knew about

But that was one of the things that genealogy can bring out. It seems his grandfather on the other side of the family had a whole other family. His first - and only legal - wife had some sons and this cousin was from one of those. My nephew's father was by the fourth - or fifth wife - maybe the one that he was caught as a bigamist and went to jail for. This father took after his father but I won't say anymore about that.

Oh, my other nephew in that family is named G*** and so is the cousin!

[Marthe48]

9. Did they hit if off? I hope :)

I've got distant cousins on my Dad's side, have been thinking of getting in touch.

[csziggy]

10. They've only exchanged emails

But they do seem to be OK with each other. He also has a half brother he hasn't met but I don't think they have made contact. It seems his grandfather's lifestyle also rubbed off on his father to a certain extent.