Success!

When you start researching your family, be prepared to use your patience! My grandmother McLaurin passed away in Tallahassee back in 1941. The only thing on her tombstone were the dates 1877-1941.

My family has lived in Tallahassee since the early 1900's, we have roots here but I couldn't find out the date my grandmother died ANYWHERE! No family member had a clipping of the obit, no one wrote it down in the Bible, no one thought to include it in the family notes that were being assembled over the years.

We couldn't find her in any records on the internet, no hits via Family Search, My Heritage or Ancestry. FINALLY, I found a link to the family church's historical documents. I found where she joined the church in 1909 but there was no extra documentation. My sister was able to contact someone at the church that pulled some records & tada....success! She died in June of 1941. We were lucky that the church had two copies of the obit, one on the day she died and one the day after the funeral. They were kind enough to scan us a copy.

Two things I have learned in this lesson. NEVER GIVE UP & please spend the extra $$ to put a full date on your loved one's headstone.

I want to encourage beginner & veteran genealogists alike to keep looking, don't give up, there's always more than one way to "skin a cat"!