New Hobby

[dpf]

Faye and I are trying a new hobby. Grave hunting! I came across the website findagrave.com and there were several people doing genealogy searches looking for pictures of monuments on family graves in our area cemeteries, many of which have been abandoned for years. Some are from as early as people who died in 1886. We thought what the hell…let’s give it a try. So we’ve started tramping around local cemeteries looking for graves. We hit three cemeteries the first night and were able to find two markers that people were requesting. But by that time the mosquitoes were getting bad and we called it a night. Our husbands are positive we’ve lost our minds this time. Actually it’s really quite interesting. One of the things that we noticed was that most of the headstones from people who died in the "30's were very small compared to others. We surmise that it is do to the depression. I called the pastor of one of the local churches that is in the country and asked him if the church had a plot map of their cemetery and told him what we were doing and the grave we were looking for. He laughed and said that he had heard that the two of us were out walking around the church cemetery from one of the congregation busy bodies who had driven by while we were searching. She had called him and reported us because she thought we were stealing the Memorial Day floral arrangements that people hadn’t removed yet! Dang...the two of us can't even try to be nice without getting accused of something.

[avalen]

Lol, well that's funny, but I've seen that website too some years ago. I
enjoy looking in old cemeteries myself. Happy hunting!

[mitch5252]

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[retiredhappy]

I love old cemeteries and i think what you're doing is great. Its nice to know where your relatives are buried.

[Redetotry]

Gotta love small town self appointed deputies. News probably gets reported faster than by email. But, I love what you are doing, so many people on Ancestry .com ask for people to do this type of thing for them. There was a recent article in our newspaper of neglected cemeteries and we were able to find two where many of our relatives are at. Unfortunately on is on prison property and you have to get special permission to get to it. About 5 minutes from my house there are several generations of my Dad's side of the family buried in a beautiful spot by a little white church.

[IrishIroamed]

No good deed goes unpunished right Pat? Sounds like it's been interesting for you. Doesn't Anita do this also depending on where she's at?

Have fun you never know what you'll learn.

[Acadianmom]

That sounds like an interesting hobby. If I wasn't so computer illiterate about posting pictures I would do that too. My husband would think I was crazy too. He thinks I'm crazy to camp so what the hell. lol I was able to find my grandfather's grave because someone had posted a picture on findagrave. He died in 1916 but his head stone is not nearly that old. My brother went by there on a trip but didn't have time to find anyone that knew anything about the cemetery.

At several rallies I have toured cemeteries with friends. Natchitoches is the oldest town in the Louisiana Purchase and we found graves from the 1700's. I passed that cemetery often for the 4 years I was in college but all we did was sit on the wall to rest when we were walking to town.

Martha

[MandysMom]

Worthy cause to start a bail fund I think. People will appreciate your efforts. I finally got to see my Grandparents and brothers grave ( he is buried at their feet with no stone) a decade ago when I took my boys to southern California to visit their Great Aunts. I cant tell you how it felt to be near my brother for the first time, he died 5 years before my birth at age 3 days.
Velda

[chalet05]

Pat, I have been doing that for a couple years. Always appreciate the thank you notes after. Just did four and didn't hear a single word - don't really care except I'd like to know they saw them. One request was for my uncle's (by marriage) grandfather! Liz and Chris have both gone on a hunt with me. I like to think of it as productive geocaching! Haven't run into town busy bodies yet!

[grammynmaggie]

That sounds very interesting I hope someday to get into genealogy when I can get all the rest of this junk off my mind anyway I wouldn't mind doing something like that it would help somebody out it would be good

[snowball]

I've not requested to have some one search for a stone for me how ever have found information on Findagrave
so glad for it so thank you Anita!!! my daughter really enjoys driving through cemeteries will have to suggest she look into this
so be crazy Pat!!!
sheila

[BarbaraRose]

That is cool! I love old cemeteries! I checked one out near Georgetown, CO up in the mountains a few years ago. There are a lot of very old graves from the pioneers and miners back in the 1800's there. They are scattered throughout the trees on the mountain side and most have small fences around them. It was very interesting!

[Colliemom]

I love walking through old cemeteries too. Our local township one, where my parents are buried and my final resting place is dated back to when this area was first settled in the 1800's. A number of graves are probably lost to time. Records disappeared back when. The first white woman to set foot in this county is buried there. She me very young children from that era as well.

[gypsyrose1126]

I have done several postings for Find a grave also. There is a place on the site where you can put in the zip code and if you are willing to take pictures. They will send you emails with requests from people all over, who are requesting photos. You upload the photos and they get sent to the person who requested them. Fun thing to do if you have the time. Unfortunately, some cemeteries don't have an index and you may have to do a lot of walking!

[Liz]

I joined the site and recently got a request for a grave in Crestview, FL. That's my mailing address, but unfortunately, I'm never there!