Why do Find a Grave volunteers spend so much time photographing and documenting graves? Because we understand that this small act of service opens the door for others to discover their ancestors' stories.

Please use any of my photos for your family history, blogs, or personal websites. They are NOT WATERMARKED OR COPYWRITTEN. I am the secretary for a 501(3)c Cemetery Preservation Society. We are a team of historians, concerned citizens, family genealogists, and cemetery enthusiasts who know the importance of documenting, photographing, and preserving cemeteries.

A grave marker was often a family's final. Aside from the reward of knowing that family members can connect with their relatives, a headstone also helps genealogists.

1) Tells who they are, how they are related, fraternal association, beliefs, and social status.
2) Can validate birth, death, and marriage dates.
4) Death dates make research easier to find obituary in newspapers, and internet sites to link to other family members.
5) Link small headstones of children to their parents. Many children were lost between the 1880-1900's Census reports. Vital were not reported until the early 20th century.
6) Plot information is vital when trying to find family members. Most people were or are buried with their families.
7) GPS is very helpful in finding cemeteries and where loved ones are buried in a large cemetery.

I'm not related to 90% of the memorials that I manage and will gladly transfer any with no questions asked.

Here is how you request to have a memorial transferred to you using the new site:
1. Find and open the memorial you want to maintain.
2. Click on SUGGEST EDITS in the upper center.
3. Click on "Suggest other corrections" in the lower center.
4. In the message box, type something like "Please transfer this memorial to me (with reason and anything else you want to convey.)"
5. Click "Send Message."You should receive a transfer and an e-mail.

Why do Find a Grave volunteers spend so much time photographing and documenting graves? Because we understand that this small act of service opens the door for others to discover their ancestors' stories.

Please use any of my photos for your family history, blogs, or personal websites. They are NOT WATERMARKED OR COPYWRITTEN. I am the secretary for a 501(3)c Cemetery Preservation Society. We are a team of historians, concerned citizens, family genealogists, and cemetery enthusiasts who know the importance of documenting, photographing, and preserving cemeteries.

A grave marker was often a family's final. Aside from the reward of knowing that family members can connect with their relatives, a headstone also helps genealogists.

1) Tells who they are, how they are related, fraternal association, beliefs, and social status.
2) Can validate birth, death, and marriage dates.
4) Death dates make research easier to find obituary in newspapers, and internet sites to link to other family members.
5) Link small headstones of children to their parents. Many children were lost between the 1880-1900's Census reports. Vital were not reported until the early 20th century.
6) Plot information is vital when trying to find family members. Most people were or are buried with their families.
7) GPS is very helpful in finding cemeteries and where loved ones are buried in a large cemetery.

I'm not related to 90% of the memorials that I manage and will gladly transfer any with no questions asked.

Here is how you request to have a memorial transferred to you using the new site:
1. Find and open the memorial you want to maintain.
2. Click on SUGGEST EDITS in the upper center.
3. Click on "Suggest other corrections" in the lower center.
4. In the message box, type something like "Please transfer this memorial to me (with reason and anything else you want to convey.)"
5. Click "Send Message."You should receive a transfer and an e-mail.