Many families in the United States will travel to cemeteries across the country this Memorial Day weekend to remember their ancestors, including war veterans and other loved ones. For many people, it’s a tradition to decorate the graves of loved ones with flowers and hold family gatherings. FamilySearch is making it easier to help descendants of military veterans find the records of their ancestors at no cost, including those who fought in the Civil War and the War of 1812.
The origins of Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, can be traced back to the Civil War. Americans are commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War this year. FamilySearch has made millions of records from the Civil War available to the public.
FamilySearch patrons can review information about their ancestors who served in the War of 1812, including pension records that offer details about the individual who served, his or her spouse and other historical information. Supporting documents may include pages torn out of the family Bible that were presented to the government as a witness of military service.
If you have ever wandered through a cemetery for hours trying to find the grave of an ancestor, you may be interested to know about new online tools and apps that are available for your computer and smartphone. FamilySearch has partnered with BillionGraves to allow patrons to locate their ancestors’ headstones on a map and view it online or in person. Read more on this new feature on a FamilySearch blog.