I love the whole idea behind "findagrave.com," and so far I'm managing 43 of my relatives' memorials. It's like "Facebook for the Dead," isn't it? I've posted almost 200 of my ancestors' photos (some of them taken as long ago as the 1800s), along with biographical information based on my research and interviews with older family members in 1994. (Thank you, especially, to my great-aunt Lillian! What a memory you had!)

Want more photos?
Find over 100 photos of my ancestors here:
1) My "cloud" storage account on Microsoft's OneDrive has my "Ancestors" photo album, great for viewing or downloading. Just copy and paste this link address into your browser (no password or login required):
https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ak0gHH3jHrVdjV2Ls1fcsVuaKXJg?e=fhBpa5
2) On Facebook: www.facebook.com/jongainesaudio
3) www.jongaines.com

About my interest in genealogy...
When I was in my 40s (ahem... a while ago...), I became curious about our family history, and realized that the very last person who had any direct knowledge of our early-1900s immigrant experience was my great-aunt Lillian Hurwood, then in her 80s. Luckily for me, she had a quick mind, sharp wit and humor, and an astonishing memory for names and place-names. Over the course of months, I collected her stories and I collected photos, knowing that Aunt Lillian was the last person alive who could identify those long-ago faces.
And now, decades later, here is this wonderful resource, "Find a Grave," and I can put faces with gravestones, and pass on a few anecdotes, and hopefully offer a glimpse into the lives of these people who blazed the trail for me and for future generations. I figure that it's the least I can do to say "Thank You." After all, it's only because my ancestors were willing to risk leaving everything they knew behind, and to travel to America and forge a new life, that I exist at all. Their courage and tenacity and industry made possible my fortunate life.

I love the whole idea behind "findagrave.com," and so far I'm managing 43 of my relatives' memorials. It's like "Facebook for the Dead," isn't it? I've posted almost 200 of my ancestors' photos (some of them taken as long ago as the 1800s), along with biographical information based on my research and interviews with older family members in 1994. (Thank you, especially, to my great-aunt Lillian! What a memory you had!)

Want more photos?
Find over 100 photos of my ancestors here:
1) My "cloud" storage account on Microsoft's OneDrive has my "Ancestors" photo album, great for viewing or downloading. Just copy and paste this link address into your browser (no password or login required):
https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ak0gHH3jHrVdjV2Ls1fcsVuaKXJg?e=fhBpa5
2) On Facebook: www.facebook.com/jongainesaudio
3) www.jongaines.com

About my interest in genealogy...
When I was in my 40s (ahem... a while ago...), I became curious about our family history, and realized that the very last person who had any direct knowledge of our early-1900s immigrant experience was my great-aunt Lillian Hurwood, then in her 80s. Luckily for me, she had a quick mind, sharp wit and humor, and an astonishing memory for names and place-names. Over the course of months, I collected her stories and I collected photos, knowing that Aunt Lillian was the last person alive who could identify those long-ago faces.
And now, decades later, here is this wonderful resource, "Find a Grave," and I can put faces with gravestones, and pass on a few anecdotes, and hopefully offer a glimpse into the lives of these people who blazed the trail for me and for future generations. I figure that it's the least I can do to say "Thank You." After all, it's only because my ancestors were willing to risk leaving everything they knew behind, and to travel to America and forge a new life, that I exist at all. Their courage and tenacity and industry made possible my fortunate life.