Spring Graveyard Lurking

Time to get out your rakes and gardening gloves!

For those of you who have a box already in the shed and ready at a moments notice for those impromptu graveyard trips, some new researchers may need help preparing for graveyard lurking and documenting the trip! So here goes a few tips and suggestions that may help you as you begin the genealogical graveyard lurking season of 2016!

Items to pack for your trip.  

• Maps plan your trip, map out at least three places to spend your day. You never know where back roads will take you, especially those roads less traveled. Some maybe impassable. 
• Insect repellent - chiggers and ticks thrive in cemeteries.
• Picnic Lunch and Cooler
• Lawn Chairs
• Proper Clothing - boots, long white socks, long sleeved shirt, hat
• sunglasses
• a box of cornstarch
• large SOFT paintbrush
• spray bottle of water - NO CHEMICALS PLEASE!
• Small garden tools - small hand rake, small hand shovel
• digital camera
• batteries (for the camera)
•  Notebook for transcription notes
• something to write with I recommend a pencil! 

Now that you have your graveyard kit packed or started, here are some things to remember:

***Not all burial grounds are on public property and you may need to make contact with a caretaker, do you research before going.

Using cleaning solutions, chalk, abrasives etc. on old tombstones are frowned upon and cause damage to the stones. Use cornstarch and a SOFT paintbrush for those hard to read stones. Do not try to recreate names and dates on them. REMEMBER we want to protect the integrity of the markers.

Document the condition with a photograph and write down what letters and numbers that are visible and share them with others. Document everything!

Keep a journal of where you visit and directions, the condition of the cemetery, date, time of day, and always take pictures of the entrance of the cemetery and a sign with the name if there is one BEFORE you photograph stones. This will help you keep track of your archive work right on the pictures! 

These are pictures I took going into Cedar Grove in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky in 2014 documenting the cemetery location.

Enjoy your adventures and please share with others! Your hobby will bring lost family members together someday, perhaps generations from now!

Until next time!

Tree Climber, Lori Jo Humphreys-Lee 

AncestryDNA

 

Ancestry DNA & Family Tree

So, the latest buzz is linking your DNA results to your Ancestry.com tree files. Being one to not want to be left out of the newest thing in Genealogy or the greatest thing since sliced bread, I DID IT! Paid $89.99 for a test kit. The kit arrived promptly within three days of placing the order. I read the instructions carefully, registered my test tube number on Ancestry.com to secure my ownership of the forthcoming DNA sample for eternity. Yes it is forever recorded as my unique DNA language and my future descendants will be able to research their family tree in a matter of seconds...a chore that has cost most of us years of research to accomplish. 

 

At any rate, I read the directions and began drooling into the tube provided. As I checked the amount line I thought it would take forever but it was very little effort to produce the necessary spit for the sample requirement. I placed the preservative container atop the tube, secured it, shook it, bagged it and PRESTO! In the box and off to the lab it went. 

I had very little concern for the spit or the package until I received an email that the disgusting little tube had arrived in Utah! Daily I check the meter provided on Ancestry.com that gives you the progression of your DNA through the lab. YES IT TAKES 5-6 Weeks! 

I forgot about it after a few days until BAM! An email says "Congratulations! Your results are in!" So, I closed the curtains, turned off the television, phone and anything else that would distract me from my new treasure!

This is the test that Ancestry.com conducts for genealogical purposes.

My results: 

Europe 99%

 Great Britain 46%

Europe West 35%

Ireland 9%

Scandinavia 6%

Trace Regions 4%

Now I think that my generation of family genealogist have already established all of the above, correct me if I am wrong but there was no surprise except that there is 0% traces of the Native American - Cherokee Princess that is supposed to be in everyone's tree! 

I am totally connected to all my fathers family lines in every way, sideways and backwards! I think the several points of collapse in the tree caused such a strong genetic connection to a certain KIMBELL line and I don't believe anyone on any branch of my mothers family has completed any genealogy at all! Well...besides me...so I ordered a second test and my precious mother went to work filling her spit tube this afternoon!

The ethnicity results were interesting and the connections to perfect strangers are confusing but Ancestry provides hints, clues and provides probably common ancestors based on your DNA comparisons and surnames. I have just begun this quest so I will keep you posted...In the meantime, we wait for my Mother's results!

To be continued...