Today was a beautiful day to be outside and to take some pictures. I had received a Find-A-Grave email this morning, so I choose that request to get myself back in gear. Now I remember way I haven't been out and about. In a word, Disappointment
As I normally do, I collect all of the Photo Requests, for that cemetery, check for other headstones that might be helpful for finding family members, and did my normal prep work. I event added a step to my process, that is a spreadsheet, so that I can sort the data that is helpful to me.
There were several "problem" messages on the Cemetery Page, where others have been to the cemetery and not been able to find a few people. I looked at them, but didn't pay too much attention.
So, today I took the list of 16 requests and went to the cemetery. Of the 16 Requests, I found ZERO. I have been to this cemetery before. Not too bad, some really old stones, some really new ones. I have 11 Surnames, plus 4 female birth surnames. I only found one of the Surnames in the entire cemetery and I walked it. I wonder where the requester found that these people are buried there.
This one was established about 1700's, but not that may really old stones. Wish Find-A-Grave had a place for the request has a Source indicator about how they knew the person was buried there. There are 3 or 4 other cemeteries in the area with the same problem
I do have a book on Old Burial Grounds of New Jersey, that has a notation in it, that there may have been an older cemetery nearby, that may have had the same name.
IF only the person requesting the information provided information about HOW they know the person is buried there. (no, the Find-A-Grave website isn't the answer)
(done and off my soapbox)
But this is why I stopped taking these requests a year ago. I kept running into this type of situation.
Hopefully, I am back on "the job".
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Copyright © 2013 by H R Worthington
Sometimes people don't have anything else to go off of, other than a lead which won't be very good. By making the visit, you only helped them to come one step closer to the truth.
ReplyDeleteThomas Edison didn't immediately invent the lightbulb. He came up with 2000 ways NOT to invent the lightbulb first ;)
Heather,
DeleteYes, but "how" to I tell "them" that I went and didn't find anything? I don't Claim a request until I get back home, unless, I am very sure that I can find that headstone.
I guess the frustration of this visit, is that 0 for 16 is very bad. Had I found one or two, it would have been different. And the fact that this has happened a number of times in recent times to me. It hasn't been that way in the past. But, it may be just too many people guessing.
I will probably go back again is a week or so and look again.
Thank you for your comment.
Russ