Diggin' for Clues Genealogical Services

01/03/2026

Such a beautiful idea. I’ve give anything if I could talk to my mom just one more time to tell her about my life and my beautiful son. Maybe I can!

WIND PHONE: Did you know Oakwood Cemetery has a wind phone? It allows you to call a loved one who has passed on.

Do you ever dial your childhood home's phone number? Although it's disconnected, I sometimes call and ask the dial tone, 'Can I please speak to Grandma?'

Then I imagine all the things I wish I could tell her about my day – about my life.

I wish I could tell her about my first book release. She would be SO proud. She was always proud of even the littlest things I did.

Wind Phones were created in Japan to give people a chance to talk to loved ones who have passed on. To touch something tangible, to dial an actual number, and to have that conversation you’ve been wishing you could have.

And there’s one right here in Oakwood Cemetery, where we need it the most. ❤ Did you know?

12/30/2025

Census records can be the backbone of genealogy research. But maybe they shouldn’t. Sure, they can give a solid picture of the family and can help trace their movements but remember these are just front porch conversations between a family member - or not - and usually a complete stranger, the census taker.

Nothing in a census record should be considered gospel until it is confirmed with other records.

- Ages/birth years are often inconsistent and incorrect

- the census taker often misunderstood or misspelled names

- the census taker was often on foot and the census was generally done in late spring or early summer. It was hot and feet were tired. Maybe they rushed through the interview more than they should have.

- use the census as a great clue, but really…it’s just a secondary source.

Happy researching!