The process is much the same for this as any other Genealogy work. The difference comes from the application of the 21 Century technology of GPS or Global Positioning System. With GPS the fieldwork gets a whole lot easer. The volume of work is not much smaller but is easier.

Over the last 25 or so years we have been working on our family history and documenting our roots. Much of the research has been done at genealogical libraries while more comes from family legacy data. More yet was gained from the Internet and three trips to Salt Lake City, Utah.

All of that did not fill in the full picture and much more was needed. After pulling together the sum of the data into Genealogy software, we documented the “dead ends”.

From the database and the presentation by the software we were able to define the probable locations of the ancestors gravesites. In addition, we know of at least 40 communities in the state of Arizona that no longer exist, such as Octave and Fairbanks. We have found the same in other states. Three of the towns of my ancestry are prime candidates for extinction. If your Uncle Whiskers was buried in one of these towns you may not be able to find the town let alone the graveyard.

We have an answer to the problem. We are using software and hardware to develop a solution. Taking data from the legacy files, letters, photos, and the family oral histories we were able to find the area of interest. We loaded up the DeLorme 3-D TopoQuad software/database. After locating the area and putting the curser over the location, (indicated by a dished line forming a rectangle with a cross in the middle), we recorded the Lat/Lon with the name, if one existed.

Once in the field, we loaded the next graveyard Lat/Lon into the GPS unit and punched the “Go To” button and the GPS display shows “6.5 miles that way”. As we start off in that direction, we follow the arrow that is pointing directions.

Several of the areas of interest were areas that neither of us had ever seen before. As we moved along the road, the GPS continued to show the way and we now need a right turn. At the next traffic light, we turned to the right and the GPS now indicated a left turn was needed. At the next intersection we turned left and looked 1-˝ blocks ahead of us and there was the cemetery we were looking for right in the middle of a residential area.

This happened several times during the 3-week trip across the mid-west US. The savings in time and costs have been significant. The process was refined during the 6,000 mile, 9 week trip in 2002.



Once we found the area we were looking for, we started the search for the gravesites. My wife would take one of our personal communication devices and the data sheet and would walk the grave area looking for the stone. Once found I park the vehicle as close to her as I could, then grab the digital camera with some disks for it, hand held GPS, and a note book. I then walked to the spot she had found. We get a photo of the stone, the GPS value, and a transcription of the text of the stone. In some cases we note special features such as photos, inscriptions, nearby notable items, and etc.

Memoriam to the Wright Brothers in Dayton, Ohio Cemetery


Our work is closely watched to insure we do it right. Each stone is inspected and analyzed.

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Some of the non-relative items that catch the eye and warrant noting can pull on the heart strings with surprising power. Pause at the next photo from the Dayton, Ohio Cemetery.


This tells it’s own story that we shall not forget.

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IN SUMMER OF 2002 (N39° 37’ 54.2” W97° 50’ 16.2”)
The home church built by my G4Grandfather in Cloud County, Kansas. This location is west-north-west of the city of Concordia. He was the first pastor and founder of the congregation.

The Nelson’s home place is east about 3 or 4 miles from the church. The local people have made the original home place into a fishing camp due to it being on the Republican River. To the west some 20 steps is the foundation to the Sorghum molasses mill they operated. Both places are subject to vanishing, the mill more than the home place due to usage.


Nelson home place
N39° 37 ’45.4” W097° 46’ 43.4”

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Rev. Nels Nelson                     Anna (Pedersen) Nelson

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Discovery---Louis & Catherine Leitner are Carole’s people

I set the GPS unit on or next to the gravestone and took photos of the stones and noted the GPS value. We completed a set of questions for each stone. Back in the motel room or our travel trailer, we completed the documentation.


Note the GPS unit at the edge of the stone.

Ask Carole about the Famous Simon Kenton. This is actually the grandson buried in Maysville, KY. The Indian fighter is buried in OH. We plan on going back to OH to get Simon Kenton the first.

As an end product, we came home with over 2400 digital images, pages of notes, and the satisfaction of a job well done. As a result, we have released the first of 8 books of our genealogy with a copy to the LDS Family History Genealogy Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Our next step is to locate each site on a GIS map and show the movement of that person from birth to the final resting place. Sometimes we can show how, and more importantly why, the movement occurred. It may have been as simple as the brother moved there first or as complex as to defy understanding.

Someday, when someone else is looking for the family members, we hope that the use of GPS will help resolve issues. It is clear that the information would have helped us a lot.

Thank you.
Beggs & Carole Nelson, gray-wolf@mindspring.com