Genealogy Cafe at RUMC

05/22/2026

And watch out for fire ants! Gitte Tessier speaks from experience. Wearing sandals in a Louisiana cemetery, she inadvertently stepped in a nest of fire ants while backing up to get a good photo shoot of her husband’s ancestor’s grave!

Visiting Cemeteries: Top 5 Tips for Family Historians

1. Be Respectful: Remember that every cemetery is sacred ground and someone’s final resting place. Bring a friend or let others know where you are going and when you'll return.

2. Do Your Homework: Research the cemetery, burial locations, and family connections before you go.

3. Document Everything: Take clear photos, record inscriptions, map locations, and note nearby graves.

4. Come Prepared: Bring water, bug spray, good walking shoes, a soft brush, and a charged phone or camera.

5. Give Back to the Community:
Help another family historian by fulfilling photo requests on Find A Grave or BillionGraves.

05/21/2026

New Revolutionary War files added to the LVA digital collections!

The Library of Virginia is pleased to announce we have a new digital collection online just in time for the VA250 celebrations! The Land Office Military Certificates collection documents the second step of a three-step process for Revolutionary War veterans to obtain bounty land in return for their service.

The certificates are printed forms filled in with the name of the individual, his rank, whether he served in a state or a continental line unit and the length of such service. In 2022, we digitized the microfilm, which includes the records for around 7,500 Virginia Revolutionary War veterans' claims. We are excited that these records, so important to our understanding of the experiences of those who fought for independence, are now freely available online.

https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/collectionDiscovery?vid=01LVA_INST:01LVA&collectionId=81192215680005756&lang=en

VA250 - American Revolution 250 Commission

05/15/2026

If your family was one of those displaced by the creation of Shenandoah National Park, this presentation might be of interest to you.

The Rappahannock County Library will be hosting a presentation by Bill Henry on the people who were displaced from their homes to form Shenandoah National Park. It is scheduled for Saturday, May 30th at 12:00 PM and is free to the public.

05/08/2026

New Culpeper County Historical Marker honoring Patriots of Color, both free and enslaved, who served in the Revolutionary War.

Congratulations to the Culpeper Minutemen Chapter, Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution for the unveiling of Culpeper’s Revolutionary War Patriots of Color Historical Marker held on April 25, 2026!

Many of these stories have been left untold. This event represented more than remembrance—it represented truth, recognition, and the importance of preserving history for future generations.

The Museum of Culpeper History, DAR/SAR members, descendants, researchers, and the entire community played an invaluable role in ensuring these Patriots of Color are remembered and honored—a contribution that will not be forgotten.

05/02/2026

You don’t have to stop learning during the warm season!

04/28/2026

If you had ancestors fighting at Cedar Creek Battlefield, this news should be of interest.

We’re proud to share that we’ve been awarded $450,454 from the American Battlefield Protection Program to support the preservation of 45 acres at Cedar Creek Battlefield. Thank you to our supporters— we're leveraging your contributions to bring in more grants as we work to bring the project to completion.

04/28/2026

Do you have items you would like to donate to the Library of Congress?

Ivan Sparling Jr.'s incredible World War I diary, written on cigarette rolling papers during his time in France, were recently given to the Library by Sparling's great-granddaughter Molly on behalf of his descendants.

Veterans History Project donations like this one are so interesting and special!

Do you have an original diary, journal, or manuscript that you or another veteran in your life kept from time in the service? Please reach out to us at [email protected] to tell us more about your materials.