Tips and Tricks

Tips, tricks, and ideas to help with your genealogy research. Explore these posts to find new ways of researching for those elusive ancestors and breaking through brick walls.

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Unusual Grave Markers

While sorting papers recently, I came across a letter I had been given in 1999. I could not help the gentleman at the time, but with more online resources, I decided to see if I could learn more. The request was about some unusual grave markers in the shape of [tree] stumps. The letter writer only gave the cemetery location, which was Franklin Cemetery, North Vienna, Maine, and that it appeared to be one family.

I turned to Find-A-Grave, located the cemetery, and began to scroll down everyone buried there. When you do this method, you can see a small picture of the stone beside the name. I only had to go to Brown. But, along with the Brown family was George W. Jackson! I had to know more.

In the 1870 census for No Vienna, ME., I found my answer:

Willis P. Brown 49y;
Sybil H. 43y;
Lewis L. 17y;
George W. Jackson 19y black, farm laborer, born Virginia. (Not my Jackson line.)

I encourage you to take a look at these unusual grave markers on the site. Have you seen any of these in any other cemetery?