I have been researching my family history since 1973. Find A Grave is a great resource. Surnames important to me: Harp, Hoagey, Swavely, Krause, Sheafer, Kline, Keeney, Irvin. Most of our family was in Pennsylvania.

Oakland Cemetery has over 15,000 known interments. The Bureau County Genealogical Society has maps and caretaker records for this cemetery. The BCGS has very good information on all the cemeteries in the county.

I enjoy the search and challenge of finding the graves. Photo requests get my highest priority. When I go out to fulfill a photo request, I photograph all the markers in the family plot. The rules I follow; "Photograph the grave/gravesite "in-situ", or as it appears in that moment in time. The purpose is to show the grave as it is, be it dirty, cluttered, broken, or pristine. It is not your job to clean it, clear it, fix it, or decorate it. The graves are not yours to do as you please. Remember, one person's "good deed" just might be another person's vandalism. Go take lots of photos...but do it like an anthropologist and do not disturb the grave site. -AJ" Mar. 10, 2013

When time permits, if a memorial does not exist I create one. I also search for some records to tie the people together and add a bio. I have a backlog of photos to create memorials. Each trip involves multiple cememteries and normally 300 to 500 photos.

If you would like to use my photos, please ask. I have recently experienced some issues with my photos being used inappropriately. I want to share, but I want to know who, what, where, how? the photos will be used. Transfers and edits, please use the EDIT tab.

I have been researching my family history since 1973. Find A Grave is a great resource. Surnames important to me: Harp, Hoagey, Swavely, Krause, Sheafer, Kline, Keeney, Irvin. Most of our family was in Pennsylvania.

Oakland Cemetery has over 15,000 known interments. The Bureau County Genealogical Society has maps and caretaker records for this cemetery. The BCGS has very good information on all the cemeteries in the county.

I enjoy the search and challenge of finding the graves. Photo requests get my highest priority. When I go out to fulfill a photo request, I photograph all the markers in the family plot. The rules I follow; "Photograph the grave/gravesite "in-situ", or as it appears in that moment in time. The purpose is to show the grave as it is, be it dirty, cluttered, broken, or pristine. It is not your job to clean it, clear it, fix it, or decorate it. The graves are not yours to do as you please. Remember, one person's "good deed" just might be another person's vandalism. Go take lots of photos...but do it like an anthropologist and do not disturb the grave site. -AJ" Mar. 10, 2013

When time permits, if a memorial does not exist I create one. I also search for some records to tie the people together and add a bio. I have a backlog of photos to create memorials. Each trip involves multiple cememteries and normally 300 to 500 photos.

If you would like to use my photos, please ask. I have recently experienced some issues with my photos being used inappropriately. I want to share, but I want to know who, what, where, how? the photos will be used. Transfers and edits, please use the EDIT tab.