For many people, family trees and historical records of ancestors provide a sense of connection to relatives and the journey their family has taken over decades. Despite the accessibility of information in the modern age, burial records and ancestral documents can prove to be elusive. Mennonite Life, 2215 Millstream Road, Lancaster, will offer an Intro to Cemetery Research class to assist those searching for answers to questions posed in their family story.

The class will be held on Saturday, June 3, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., and it will be taught by local historian and genealogist James Landis. Landis will begin the course at the Mennonite Life library, where he will discuss a variety of resources that researchers can use in their efforts. "A lot of people don't realize that the county has records of destitute veterans - federal documents that may be relevant to a cemetery but are not always readily available," Landis said.

Landis will discuss how to access burial records and cover a broad spectrum of methods for research. After discussion at the library, the class will visit a local cemetery, where Landis will provide a demonstration on how to photograph tombstones and the best practices for investigating a family member's resting place. "I want this course to give people a feel for what they're going to encounter when going to cemeteries," Landis said. "It's such a diverse subject; there really isn't one single approach."

In his class, Landis will also discuss the benefits and disadvantages of conducting research online. Although there is a plethora of websites that offer information on burial sites, Landis said they are often incomplete and do not include valuable data that one might find when exploring in person. While a website might list a family member who is buried in a specific location, it likely won't show a connection to relatives with a different surname who are buried nearby. Landis also noted that many resources for field research were heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; several historical societies were unable to remain open, driving genealogists to rely on the internet for information.

Landis has been a genealogist for nearly 50 years, having become interested in ancestral research at a young age. At the age of 14, Landis saw a Revolutionary War re-enactment and was inspired to find information on his relatives who served in the war. His father, grandfather and great grandfather were all members of the Lancaster County Historical Society, and Landis has been involved with Mennonite Life since 1995. "In my years of research, my biggest sense of accomplishment was standing at the burial site of my ancestor and being able to claim them," Landis said. "You need to use a good bit of shoe leather, but if you do, you will be rewarded."

Registration for the class is required by Wednesday, May 31. To register, visit http://www.mennonitelife.org or call 717-393-9745.