Researching can be a dead end – and that’s a good thing

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Research doesn’t have to be relegated solely to libraries, the internet or a few books. Sometimes it can be a dead end.

And in the case of cemetery research, that’s not a bad thing.

As a writer, I sometimes have to go to cemeteries to photograph photos of gravestones for stories or to verify something for a book project. Often when you are visiting a loved one’s grave, it’s easy: You know where the tombstone is, you pay respects and you leave.

But when you are looking for a gravesite a few tips come in handy. This weekend is an appropriate time (Saturday, Nov. 1 is All Saints Day while Sunday, Nov. 2, is All Souls Day) to offer tips on how to approach cemetery research.

Cemeteries are the same and different. The residents all share that common bond – their final resti