Cemeteries are the resting place of the dead, and for a genealogist they are teeming with information. Gravestone inscriptions are a short bio about the deceased, often supplying name, birth and death information, relationships and sometimes even an epitaph. When relatives are in the same cemetery, the grave markers can reveal a family narrative. Perhaps it’s this richness that fascinates me when I walk through a graveyard reading the stories of the standing stones. Continue reading
Westmoreland County
The Case of the Missing Will of Henry Brinker
Probate records often contain significant information and provide proof for particular family facts. Wills are probably the most widely known type of probate records. A person who creates a will, called a testator, gives a directive for what items after his death are left to whom, often mentioning names of children, or relationship of any named heirs. Witnesses, especially for older wills, usually were a relative or friend of the testator and could aid in supplying additional clues about the family. Continue reading
Relatively Speaking Blog 