Tuesday's Tip: Military Headstones

Where can you find help understanding the abbreviations on a military headstone?  For example, what does "Regt." mean?

Military Headstone

The National Cemetery Administration has made it easy. Its website (part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) includes a list of abbreviations commonly used on government-furnished headstones and markers. The abbreviations include branch of service, war service, awards, and rank. 

Find this helpful list at http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hmm/abbreviations.asp. 

 

 

Tuesday's Tip: Military Gravestones

What can a gravestone tell you about an ancestor's military service? As it turns out, quite a lot.

It might tell you where your ancestor served, when, and with whom.

Enjoy the below video to get some ideas about how gravestones can help you research your veteran ancestor.

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Tuesday's Tip: Gravestone Symbolism

Ever wonder about the artwork, symbols, or decorations on your ancestor's gravestone?  What do they mean? Check out our Facebook post today for some ideas.

Gravestone with Carvings

Upcoming Event: Cemetery Resources Online

Have you ever wondered how to locate an ancestor's tombstone?  There are online resources that can help. 

Old Tombstone

Join us June 20 from 6-8 pm for an Internet Genealogy Group session on online resources for locating cemetery records. 

Internet Genealogy Group is free for Premium members; $15 for all others. Please pre-register by calling 860-346-4375.

Upcoming Event: Using Cemetery Records to Help Your Genealogy Research

Cemetery records can be a valuable resource for building your family tree.

gravestone

This gravestone, for example, includes not only the ancestor's information, but also whom she married.

So how do you locate gravestones, plot records, and other cemetery information?

Join us on June 4 at 9:30 a.m. for a Genealogy Club meeting on cemetery records. We'll discuss resources that can help you determine where your ancestor was buried and give hints about what other information, besides their gravestone, may exist.

Gene Gumbs, head of the Ed Laput CT Cemetery Project, will also speak about that project and how it can help your research.

Genealogy Club is free for Godfrey Premium Members or $10 per session for Guest Members.