In April 2017 I started working on my family tree, searching local cemeteries and seeing many familiar names. It quickly turned into an obsession and over 7 years I took my family tree from about 500 people to over 16,000 people in 2024. One of the primary research tools used was Find a Grave. I felt compelled to give back and started taking pictures at a local cemetery. From there I moved on to other local cemeteries and some further away from my home in Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada.

On January 3, 2022 at my request Find a Grave transferred all non-family memorials to '8'.
- Since then I transfer any newly created non-relative memorials to Find a Grave.
- Relatives are divided into those that are "close" family and "distant" family in my virtual cemeteries.
- For distant family members, since I'm involved with genealogy, I will ask for relationship and if you're willing information about your family… this is not a demand, but just asking in hopes of expanding my database.
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Pictures:
- My pictures are free to use, but please give me credit (photo by Robert Bell).
- Taking pictures of a grave marker can be a challenge and I've come to realize I can't clean every grave marker I take a picture of due to mobility issues.
- So pictures are taken "as is" on the day I'm at the cemetery as per Find a Grave policy of not interfering with grave markers you don't own. It is not my place to remove unsightly decorations like dead flowers or faded plastic ones.
- I do my best to photo edit a picture to remove bird dropping when possible.
- Flat markers sink and accumulate grass cuttings, sod, sand, and/or earth on their surfaces. An attempt to remove these items to see enough text to identify the person will be made, unless I believe doing so could damage the stone (hidden pebbles, etc.)… in this case I won't even try to take a picture.
- I will remove any picture upon request, but hope that another replaces it before I do so.
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Obituaries:
- As per Find a Grave guidelines I will not copy and paste obituaries from a Funeral Home or Newspaper as I'm unable to determine who owns the copyright (can't be published for 50 years until after the death of the writer – usually a family member or close friend). In 2018 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled an obituary is a copyrighted item and ownership belongs to the person who wrote it (the family, not the funeral home or the newspaper).
- An obituary should be written in your own words and as per Find a Grave policy should not mention living family members. If the named individuals appear like they could be living, I will not add the obituary.
- Alternatively a reference to where the obituary can be found is acceptable (Newspaper, page, date; but no hyperlinks).
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Edit Suggestions:
- All edit suggestions should be done from the "Suggest edit" button.
- Evidence of your edit would be nice, such as "Close family member.", the 'url' for FamilySearch with source documents attached there (sorry, I may or may not have access to Ancestry on the day you submit a suggested edit).
- If your suggested edit conflicts with what is there, it is up to you to provide proof of wrong/correct information.
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GPS Coordinates:
- The purpose of GPS is to get you within about 10 to 20 feet of the grave marker.
- GPS locations can be effected by large trees and buildings so may appear further away (I've observed GPS points more than 2 km from the correct location.
- Please use a GPS distance calculator to check before submitting a change. I will reject any change request within 20 feet.

Robert Bell (Valleyboy13)