Morley W. Connell
Kanata (Ottawa), Ontario, Canada

If you are going to a cemetery at sundown (or later) to look for names on markers, call the police and let them what you are doing. I do this because I don't want to meet a nervous police officer with a gun in hand. I have found that reading some markers at that time is clearer then at noon. I carry a good, bright flashlight for reading in the dark. By aligning the light with the side of the marker, and with just the right amount of light, you can read the inscription more easily. However, if you are going to read at night, arrive before sundown, because it is easier to find the markers you would like to read.

Raymond McCraren

Editor's Note: If you are planning a trip like this, for safety's sake, be sure to go with a large group. You don’t know who you'll find hanging around the cemetery at night.

I once had a problem finding a cemetery listed in a newspaper obituary. No one could identify the cemetery or where it was located. I placed a small classified ad in the local newspaper, asking if anyone recognized any of the names. I listed the cemetery and names of my ancestors who lived in the area. I received six or seven letters from people in the town. The cemetery turned out to be a small family cemetery in a pasture. One woman walked the cemetery, writing down the names on all the stones. Another couple actually went to the courthouse and found several documents pertaining to my family! I was stunned and grateful for the excellent help!

Kim E. Crayne
Omaha, Nebraska

A hint I learned from the Connecticut Gravestone Network is to have someone help you by holding a mirror to reflect light on a tombstone you wish to photograph. It might help to practice at home to determine the size of mirror that is needed and how to redirect the sunlight. But this is a safe way to get good photos without having to touch the stones.

Jean Hopkins

Visit the Connecticut Gravestone Network.

In addition to all the usual items one should take to a cemetery, include a camcorder if you have one. I have made several trips to our family cemetery in Tennessee, and each time I have found something new. On the first trip, I recorded and took photos only of those graves with my family name. As my research broadened, I quickly realized that this was a mistake—daughters marry, and their names change. I have since found that two of my great-grandparents' daughters are also buried in the cemetery.

On my last visit, I completed my photo collection by taking pictures of all readable tombstones, making a rough layout of the cemetery on the video. You may not recognize the names, but you never know—they may be family. Finally, when I was looking for my great-great-grandfather's grave, there was an elderly man at the cemetery too. We approached him, hoping he could help us locate the grave we sought. He couldn't, but in course of the conversation, we found that he had been delivered by one of my grandmothers who had been a midwife. You never know what you'll find out if you aren't afraid to ask questions.

Janet Aikin

When the cemetery locates the burial spot of your relative, ALWAYS ask if anyone else is buried in the grave plot.

When I had finally located what I was sure was my immigrant great-grandfather's burial plot (unmarked grave), his file card info seemed to match up date wise, but it noted that he died in a neighboring state. No family knowledge or records supported this fact, so I couldn't be positive of the identity. When I asked who owned the grave (according to the records), the cemetery staff surprised me with another file card on a woman buried in the same plot. This person was his sister, and she confirmed his identity! Now I know to ask!

Dave Miller

A big thanks to all of our submitters! If you have a tip you would like to share with researchers, you can send it to editor@ancestry-inc.com.