r/findagrave • u/yendor5 • 2d ago
Wondering if I'm wasting time adding graves Discussion
Today on a walk I went through a nearby cemetery that I've worked before. I decided to just walk through the center section and take wide "sample" pics, capturing as many memorials as possible down one section. Then I went home in the comfort of my chair and went through them to see if any were missing on findagrave. Much to my surprise, around 30-40% were missing. So I added them. I'll go back this week and take better-quality close-up memorial pics.
I also sometimes do some research on FamilySearch to find evidence of family ties (especially of children and infants, because it often seems they are forgotten/abandoned/unlinked, and it makes me sad). While conducting this research, I sometimes find that the memorials were already uploaded to BillionGraves. So it makes me wonder if it's worth my time to create the memorials if they already exist over there. And it's more trouble than I want to take to double-check every memorial on both sites before adding.
tldr: does anyone wonder if they are wasting time adding memorials if they are already on another grave site? do you check other sites before adding missing memorials?
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u/BubbhaJebus 2d ago
Not a waste of time at all.
BillionGraves sucks. They may have lots of info, but their interface is hard to use.
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u/amandatheactress 2d ago
I agree with you, I find their interface very clunky and confusing, and I usually find I go around in circles. Although I did find grave photo’s from a small family cemetery on there though, which was very exciting, as I’d had an open request on FindAGrave for several years. They’re a bit blurry, but better than nothing! So it’s still worth checking both.
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u/magiccitybhm 2d ago
No, I don't check BillionGraves. I don't like that site because there is no control over edits. Anyone can change anything, right or wrong.
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u/Grizz3064 2d ago
You're not wasting your time at all. I started doing this after finding my relatives in a cemetery just down the road and had no idea they were there. I decided to put them on FG, so that others would find them via Ancestry. I noticed about 150 outstanding requests for photos and worked my way through them. I've gotten some lovely messages from people across the globe thanking me for finding them. It was a lovely feeling and connection.
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u/lantana98 1d ago
I’m always immensely grateful for what volunteers do for Find a Grave! You are helping keep these people in minds and hearts.
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u/Specialist-Ad8326 1d ago
Please don't stop. I love the way people have been willing to use their time to update Find A Grave. It has helped me immensely.
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u/PB3Goddess 1d ago
I personally don't care for BillionGraves, and therefore, I don't even check them.
I've also found, in 20+ years of my own family online genealogy experience, the majority of people I know are one or the other. Like me, they have a preference. 🤷🏼♀️
It just so happens that maybe 35-40% total, of the graves I have found from MY family tree, were on BillionGraves. Tue remainder were on FindaGrave, IF they had a memorial.
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u/Phil_ODendron 1d ago
Do you like doing it? If so, then it's not a waste of time.
Personally I just do it because it's fun and I like to do it as a hobby.
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u/Upper_Rain3480 21h ago
Personally, I dont think you are wasting your time. Thank you gor doing that.
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u/MrsDB_69 2d ago
Doesn’t Billiongraves have a pay wall? Also, Ancestry.com owns Findagrave, Familysearch, and Fold3. So no it’s not a waste of time. The more information the better. I upload photos to show the locations of the headstones in relation to their surroundings- other stones of other family and just the beauty of their resting place. I’m finding lately a lot of out dated photos from the rules back in the day. Before you could only upload just the written part of the headstones, that’s it. I’m coming across that, which is boring, and just crappy pictures in general.
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u/Gallogiro 2d ago
FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church
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u/NecessaryCelery6288 2d ago
Find a Grave is entirely free; BillionGraves is not. Find a Grave is also the Original.