The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has a service on its website, called the Nationwide Gravesite Locator. The database shows the interments of veterans in more than 120 cemeteries, some national cemeteries. However, some are privately owned or “family cemteries” containing the remains of veterans. For example, I entered the surname FLANARY. The search engine returned 71 names, including information on several veterans of the Civil War. Image my surprise at two of my Civil War finds in private cemeteries:
FLANARY, CREED FULTON
CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY
CIVIL WAR
DATE OF BIRTH: 11/25/1843
DATE OF DEATH: 04/14/1910
BURIED AT: FLANARY FAMILY CEMETERY
CLINCHPORT #3 PENNINGTON GAP, VA 24277
FLANARY, ELKANAH
CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY
DATE OF BIRTH: 11/10/1844
DATE OF DEATH: 07/12/1914
BURIED AT: ELY FAMILY CEMETERY
DRYDEN, VA 24243
I had not considered using this site for my Civil War ancestors because they were not buried in a military cemetery. The lesson here is “check your assumptions.” They may be preventing you from locating that elusive record.
