BE NICE!

Hi there, fellow cemetery wanderer! Like all of us Findagrave volunteers, I'm here because I genuinely love prowling through old cemeteries, snapping photos of weathered headstones, and carefully deciphering century-old inscriptions (sometimes with a magnifying glass and questionable eyesight!). My own genealogy detective work has been saved countless times by amazing volunteers, so I'm here to pay it forward. That said, let's keep things friendly:

• Deep breath first, please! I get it – family history can stir up serious emotions. But anger and aggression? Not cool. If you're seeing red about something, maybe take a lap around the block first. Your ancestors would probably appreciate the civility!
• Oops happens! I photograph hundreds of headstones monthly (yes, my camera roll is very exciting), and despite my best efforts, I sometimes misread "Bertha" as "Martha" or transpose a date. I'm always happy to fix mistakes – just let me know nicely, and I'll make it right!
• Historical records are messy. Even into the 1900s, record-keeping could be... creative. Sometimes Great-Aunt Gertrude was born in three different years according to various documents. I usually go with what the headstone says, but I'm totally open to corrections with good sources. Love a good mystery? Let's chat about discrepancies in the bio section!
• Memorial transfers? Usually yes! I don't always stick to Findagrave's strict family guidelines – I care more about finding people who'll lovingly tend these digital memorials. Just ask nicely (sensing a theme here?).
• Temporary markers welcome! I'll photograph those placeholder markers, but I'm happy to swap them out when the fancy granite arrives.
• No data dumps, please! I skip the copy-paste census marathons that turn memorial pages into digital phone books. Let's keep things clean and readable!

About this cemetery-obsessed human: I'm a professional degreed historian, genealogist, and grave-wanderer based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. My family tree branches mostly through Pennsylvania, with surnames that sound like a United Nations roll call: Helms, Colflesh, Schick, Henry, Pile, Harned, Stroup, Mowday, Monago, Bonitate, Leone, Di Victoria, Monti di Sopra, Da Corte Cavalier, Soppelsa, and Maufioe. (Yes, I practice pronouncing these at dinner parties.)

I also spend lots of time researching the Connecticut Valley and some "upper south" states like Tennessee and Kentucky, because apparently I enjoy historical challenges.

Living in Louisiana means I'm surrounded by incredible cemeteries, so I do plenty of "cemetery photo mowing" (my term for systematic documentation). Current obsession: GPS-tagging memorials in the following cemeteries:

• Magnolia Cemetery, Baton Rouge, LA (70% done)
• Heavenly Gates Cemetery, Baton Rouge, LA (75% done)
• Jewish Cemetery, Baton Rouge, LA (85% done)
• Rosedale Cemetery, Rosedale, LA (66% done)
• Saint Joseph Cemetery, Gross Tete, LA (66% done)
• Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Cecilia, LA (50% done)
• Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, Port Barre, LA (100% done)
• First Baptist Church of Krotz Springs Cemetery, Krotz Springs, LA (100% done)
• First United Methodist Church Cemetery, Krotz Springs, LA (100% done)
• Saint Anthony's Cemetery, Krotz Springs, LA (100% done)

One last request: Please consider leaving a virtual flower at the memorial for our dearly missed four-legged family member, Sydney Constance Coffey Helms. She was the best cemetery exploration companion a person could ask for.

Thanks for reading, and happy ancestor hunting!