I have been a volunteer for over 5 years, and I really enjoy it! I am in central Illinois, near the Ill.-Ind. line and visit graveyards within a 50 mile range. My cousins did a search of my maternal grandparents a few years ago, and traced them back as far as the Civil War. Think that was what got me interested. I would like to do a search of my paternal grand-parents, but it is nearly impossible. My grandparents came from Lithuania in 1895 and did not speak English. When they were registered in on arrival here, their name was listed phonetically, and on several papers we have in the family, there are various spellings. My family name was Polakes, and there may or may not be some of them still going by that name-- Meanwhile, I am happy to be helping others find their ancestors.

I have been a volunteer for over 5 years, and I really enjoy it! I am in central Illinois, near the Ill.-Ind. line and visit graveyards within a 50 mile range. My cousins did a search of my maternal grandparents a few years ago, and traced them back as far as the Civil War. Think that was what got me interested. I would like to do a search of my paternal grand-parents, but it is nearly impossible. My grandparents came from Lithuania in 1895 and did not speak English. When they were registered in on arrival here, their name was listed phonetically, and on several papers we have in the family, there are various spellings. My family name was Polakes, and there may or may not be some of them still going by that name-- Meanwhile, I am happy to be helping others find their ancestors.