Sunday morning grave hunting

My daughter and I went out on Sunday morning to do some grave hunting.  We had a very successful hunt.  To find out about the graves we documented you can go to my Find a Grave profile!  If you are also on Find a Grave, feel free to add me as a friend :)

With my arsenal of brushes, water, etc in my trunk we set out to clean off some graves that needed a good weeding. Soon I will be placing an order for biological cleaner made for gravestones soon so we can head out to some abandoned cemeteries next and start cleaning up the historical sites.  I explained to her that because I can't get home to take care of my family's stones, I like to help out where I can and it makes me feel like I'm helping keep their memories alive.  Though I will be heading up to NJ soon to give my mom & grandparents some care & cleaning.

On our way out of the cemetery my daughter took these pictures.  Maybe I have a budding grave hunter on my hands??

2017: Genealogy Goals & Focus

I mentioned on my blog Love, Faith, and Coffee that my 2017 Word of the Year is Focus.   And that word will be carried over into my genealogy research.  

Goals for 2017

• Clean up trees  (citations, duplicates, etc)
• Medical Family Tree
• Ask extended family members for pictures 
• Plan a trip to photograph missing gravestones
• Plan a trip to NJ archives
• Keep up with birthdays

What are your goals for 2017?

Genealogy Grumps?

Have you come across any Genealogy Grumps? 

I have come across two so far in my research.  Thankfully there are so many more out there who are more than willing to help you as well as some long lost family members who are excited to find someone in the family. 

One of the grumps is a family member who has kept her research hidden from me even after I approached her.  Thankfully I have gotten around it to get information I need and my focus is on a different branch however it definitely stings when someone in your family treats the family history like this.  

The second grump is a member of www.findagrave.com .  Like I said above, the majority of genealogists that I have come across are awesome but this particular member seems to be more focused on her numbers than on actually helping others.  I asked to have management of a few graves transfered to me.  I have the rest of the family members in the plot and it is my father's family who he lived with growing up.  She flat out refused it to me!  She's not even family! 

Sigh, I hate hitting these speed bumps but I'm trying to keep a happy face on.

So, have you come across any Genealogy Grumps?

Traveling for information

This summer will be a hectic one for my family.  I will be loading up my daughter and heading up to NJ for about a week to help out my family but during down time I'll be taking pictures of graves of my ancestors.  During my research I have found family that I never knew I was related to.  In upcoming entries I will begin to list surnames that I have come across while climbing my family tree.

During that week if there are any requests for pictures of graves located in the Northwest NJ/NY area I'd be happy to help out in anyway I can.