I started my genealogy journey in January 1999, right after my father passed away. I was searching for his obituary online (a "new thing" back then) and found a RootsWeb page with my grandfather's name listed. I hadn't heard of any of those other family names before... I was hooked!

While living in Minnesota, I took my newfound hobby and walked 2 cemeteries in my small town of Lafayette, not aware there was a thing called Find-A-Grave. I found FAG five years later and uploaded my Minnesota memorials.

Over the years I have seen this site change tremendously, but I still believe it is a wonderful tool for genealogical research. I realize that not everyone has the same goals or motives on Find-A-Grave. It used to be that we were documenting memorials found in a cemetery. Now, we are building family trees and family histories, and not all the memorials here are actually found in a cemetery. But one thing needs to stay the same...back up your research with proof, especially if you are adding a memorial that doesn't have a cemetery. Provide sources!

And please, please, please be KIND, be TRUTHFUL, be RESPECTFUL.

I started my genealogy journey in January 1999, right after my father passed away. I was searching for his obituary online (a "new thing" back then) and found a RootsWeb page with my grandfather's name listed. I hadn't heard of any of those other family names before... I was hooked!

While living in Minnesota, I took my newfound hobby and walked 2 cemeteries in my small town of Lafayette, not aware there was a thing called Find-A-Grave. I found FAG five years later and uploaded my Minnesota memorials.

Over the years I have seen this site change tremendously, but I still believe it is a wonderful tool for genealogical research. I realize that not everyone has the same goals or motives on Find-A-Grave. It used to be that we were documenting memorials found in a cemetery. Now, we are building family trees and family histories, and not all the memorials here are actually found in a cemetery. But one thing needs to stay the same...back up your research with proof, especially if you are adding a memorial that doesn't have a cemetery. Provide sources!

And please, please, please be KIND, be TRUTHFUL, be RESPECTFUL.