Cemetery Genealogy Research

When I first started researching my family tree, I did not begin searching cemeteries since I had death certificates.  As you move further back in time, there will be a point where you will not find death certificates and this is where newspapers and cemeteries become necessary.  You may also want to visit or contact cemeteries so you can enter burial information in your family tree.  For my research I did both, I wanted to enter burial information and for other relatives and ancestors it is an alternative source for a non-existent death certificate.  I also wanted to document the headstones, as older headstones can become broken, damaged or fade due to the elements.

Usually I can find a cemetery office that can provide a map and plot numbers for my records, this makes cemetery research simple.  In other cases, the office has plot numbers, but no map.  For instance, one cemetery I visited had the records of where my ancestors were buried, but there was no map and staff had to take me to the location.  Even then, several headstones in the area where not maintained and were buried under 10 inches of grass and dirt.  The staff unearthed several of the headstones and found that the records they had were slightly skewed.  This experience just showed me that you should not always assume a headstone is not present, unless the cemetery office records indicate no headstone (as was my case in at Tulocay in Napa).

Things to do in Napa

Here is small list of things to do in Napa (and most I have already tried):  There are many other special events and activities that I have not listed below, mainly because I have not attended them.

1.  Napa Wine Train:  Whether you are visiting or live locally, the Napa Wine Train is worth at least one trip.    You can have a casual lunch or dinner, catch a Murder Mystery, wine tour or check out one of their special events.

2.  Oxbow Market:  I absolutely love the Oxbow Market.  My favorite bakery - The Model Bakery - is there and is one place I never miss when I'm in the area.  Check out the specialty cheese shop and Kara's cupcakes for some extra treats to take home.  Or pick from the several restaurants to eat at.

3.  Wine tasting:  Napa County as well as Sonoma and other neighbor counties are well known for their wine.  There are two many wineries to list, so pick a brochure or check them out online.  You can read about one of my visits HERE.

4.  Holiday B&B Tour:  There are many historic Victorian homes as well as other homes of architectural interest.  Many have been turned into Bed & Breakfasts/Inns or business buildings, a few are privately owned.  On the Holiday B&B tour, you get to tour several participating B&B's and Inns, sample local wine, beer, and restaurants   You can read more about my experience at last year's tour HERE.  The Historic Society also gives tours of other historic homes (see below).

5.  Searching for Ancestors in Napa:  This may only be of interest to those who know they have ancestors who lived in Napa.  The Historic Society has a great index of resources available as well as many special events.  You can read about my search at the Historic Society HERE or check out their website HERE.  Besides the Historic Society you will not want to miss the Napa Valley Genealogical Biographical Society's research library, the main Napa Library (which has most of the Napa newspapers on microfilm), Tulocay Cemetery (the oldest cemetery in Napa) and pick up copies of records at the Napa County Recorder-Clerk's office.

6.  Shopping:  There are many shops in Napa that may be of interest or you could check out the Napa Outlet stores.  Check out the Downtown shops HERE and the Outlets HERE.

Have fun!

Genealogy Tip: Newspapers & Obituaries

Without being morbid, as some may think it is to read obituaries, such articles can be great resources for family historians.  Older newspaper obituaries can provide information about the person's family, place of immigration, dates of major events such as moving to another state, occupation(s), possible military service, burial and other pertinent information.  In some cases the obituary can provide a birth date and/or place, which can be helpful when no birth certificate or baptism record exists.  Do not be fooled that the obituary or death certificate is a "primary" source for your ancestor's birth date though.

Sometimes there may be no obituary in a local newspaper or it may be a single line listing the person, date of death and possibly another fact.  Other times you may need to check Church newsletters for obituaries.  The Seventh-Day Adventist Church publishes 'The Pacific Recorder' on the West Coast and it is possible to find obituaries for members of the church in states such as California.  For instance an obituary in 'The Pacific Recorder' can provide information pertaining to when your ancestor joined the church and other information similar to newspaper obituaries.

Next time you are researching your family, try locating an obituary, you may be surprised with the information you gather that can lead you to other sources of information.  And if you are trying to find living relatives you may be able to find out a relative's living relatives at the time of death and children's married names.

Happy researching!

How To: Begin your Family Tree

In taking a break from my crafty projects before I have my knitting classes, I was working on my genealogy. Some say once you start researching your family tree it becomes a life-long process, but it really depends on what your goal is.  Do you want to go back to when your ancestors immigrated to the US?  Or do you want to go back 3, 4 or 5 generations?

Whatever your goal may be, and it may change too, here are my tips for starting your genealogy.

1.  Talk to your parents and grandparents (great-grandparents if alive).  Gather all the information they may remember, stories too.  I always find family stories to be interesting, both good and bad.

2.  Go through family photos and the "boxes" of old photos that have been passed through the generations.  You may want to make copies or digital copies for your records.  Photos may also provide clues - where an ancestor may have lived, occupations, other relatives, etc.

3.  Talk to other relatives, Aunts, Uncles, cousins and the like.  Gather information and stories from them.

4.  Compile all the information you have and start with yourself on the tree.  Then fill in your parents, siblings, grandparents, etc.

5.  If you are computer-savvy select a genealogy program to help you store and sort information.   Here are a few I have tried: Family Tree, Ancestry and Legacy.  Or use the online tree at Rootsweb.com

6.  Search records at familysearch.org using the information you have gathered.  You may also try Ancestry.com (requires a fee for most records) and Rootsweb.com

7.  Be sure to cite your sources and keep records of all references you have gathered information from.  The worst thing is to not be able to cite your source or forget where you found the information.


Now you should be able to start searching for your ancestors.  Personally, I think everyone should know at least 2-4 generations of their family history for medical reasons.  Check out the link below for the Oxford's Dictionary definition and more research links from University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

Click here for a bonus and more research links

Family History Time - Colonial Roots & the Mayflower

If you know you have roots to the 13 original colonies and/or the Mayflower then you may want to take advantage of free records available on Ancestry.com this holiday weekend.  Here's the link 

Be realistic if you are new to genealogy.  Typing in your family tree information and finding a leaf is not always as easy as it seems.  You will need to have information on several generations in order to find your ancestors in the colonies or listed in the Mayflower contract.  However if you already know some of that information then you can utilize the records on Ancestry.com.  I know I will be filling in my Mayflower ancestry and searching for other ancestors on the other side of my tree.

Happy searching!

Ancestry.com 13 colonies Records

Searching for Ancestors

One interest I have and really haven't blogged about is genealogy, also referred to as family history.  In today's society we sometimes lose our family history and I think it is important for each of us to know where we came from.  What's even more important is our family's medical history.  Do you know what conditions run in your family?  Heart Disease, Cancer, etc.  There are so many conditions that have a genetic link or increased risk.  Remember those medical history forms you complete at the doctor's office, well it helps to know more than just your parents or even grandparents' history.

On a recent trip, I went searching at the Napa County Historical Society.  The staff was very friendly and helpful at the Historical Society.  Check out their online catalogue from their website if you are searching for your ancestors.

When you get started with your own family history, you will usually end up having to go past records you can find on Ancestry.com or Familysearch.org  Which means you need to go to genealogical societies, historical societies, county records, archives and so much more.  And the Napa Historical Society is a great resource for those with roots in Napa.  Don't forget the Napa Library, Napa Genealogical Society and the County Recorder for records in Napa. 

And if you don't mind visiting cemeteries looking for your ancestors, check out Tulocay Cemetery.  General Vallejo's brother, Salvador is buried there.

Good luck on your search and if you need help I am here to help you.