Cemetery Safety Tip
It's easy to get caught up in a search, so when exploring cemeteries, it's also important to remember to stay alert and keep safety in the forefront of your mind. We're approaching that time of year where many people are going to the cemetery--to clean up after the long winter, visit graves for Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Memorial Day, etc. This provides a prime opportunity for thieves. Be sure not to leave purses or other valuables in your car and keep a cell phone with you so that you can call for help if necessary. If possible, go with a group during daylight hours, and if you have children, be especially vigilant, as over time, many headstones and markers may become unstable and could harm an unsuspecting child.

Handy "Lighting Equipment"
On a recent trip to a cemetery in a distant town I accidentally discovered a way to shed light on a dark, north-facing gravestone. I was rummaging through my car wishing I had thought of bringing mirrors or a bed sheet when I spotted the large fold-up sun reflector I use in the front windshield in the summer time. With my friend holding it full length in a strategic place, I had instant photo studio lighting without bulky, expensive equipment. After taking the picture I wanted, we folded our "lighting equipment" under one arm and moved on to the next grave.

MaryLynn Strickland

Exploring Cemeteries
Recently I went tombstone hunting for several of my Mast ancestors who were all buried in the same cemetery. I came to know of the cemetery after perusing several cemetery indexes in the area where they were known to have lived. I was fortunate to find seventeen family members buried in the same cemetery. So, having found directions to the cemetery, I headed off with my camera and notes. Finding the individual markers proved to be difficult, because while the index indicated cemetery sections, the sections were not indicated at the cemetery itself, so in order to find my ancestors I had to trek the grounds with a keen eye for the Mast name.

Having successfully found all of the individuals listed in the index, I began to amble back to my car when I noticed in the distance a marker that read "Hutson." I knew the Hutson name to be associated with another branch of my family, so I decided to take a closer look. I did not recognize any of the Hutsons buried under the marker, but right next to it was a smaller marker that read "Barnes," another name associated with my family. Buried there were Alexander and Elizabeth Barnes. I took some pictures of their marker and brought it home for further investigation. I was able to determine that Alexander and Elizabeth were indeed ancestors of mine. This was a serendipitous find, because I would never have thought to look for those individuals in that place, as I had no information indicating that they were living in the area. This chance find led me to more records pertaining to them and their children, in the area where they were buried. I was also able to determine that the Hutsons buried there were Elizabeth Barnes' parents and siblings. The point here, of course, is that when looking for ancestors in cemeteries, it is a good idea to take your time and look around. Focusing only on exactly what you are looking for can sometimes prevent you from finding treasures you may not have expected.

On a later occasion I was searching for more ancestors in a different cemetery. After finding the individuals I had been looking for and, of course, looking around for any other names that I may have thought to be of interest, I headed back to my car and took off. Just for fun, I decided to drive around the area, on gravel & dirt roads, looking at the scenery and imagining that not much had probably changed in this part of the world from the time of my ancestors. I noticed a very small cemetery to the side of one of these roads. There may have been fifty markers in all, and I decided to stop. I explored the grounds and immediately found several names of interest. In that cemetery I found several cousins and in-laws, some of whom I had previously not known to exist. After this find, I went looking for an index of this cemetery and was unable to find one, so it is unlikely that I would have found these people had I not had the fortune of feeling adventurous on that particular day. The moral here is that it pays off to explore the areas where your ancestors were known to be; you never know what you might find.

Robert D. Mast

GPS in the Cemetery
More and more genealogists are traveling with handheld GPS devices in their vehicles. These Global Positioning Satellite receivers show one's exact location. So when you finally find an obscure cemetery, you can create a "waypoint" showing its location to within about forty feet. Sometimes the accuracy can be increased to within five or ten feet, allowing you to pinpoint the spot where a particular grave is located. By putting the coordinates into your notes and sources, you will enable future researchers with GPS to find the graves of your ancestors without all the difficulties you may have had.

Richard Stowe