Why EVERY grave has a GPS location on BillionGraves.
Why is having GPS on every headstone in BillionGraves SO important?! This is another question we get a lot. It’s time to set the record straight and show you the SECRET to finding more family with GPS!
Why GPS Matters.
Every headstone on BillionGraves has the exact GPS location attached. “Why is this important?” you may ask… GPS tagged records are tangible proof that VALIDATES every record on BillionGraves.
But what does this REALLY mean for you? In light of the 4th of July, let’s use one of the Founding Father’s and 3rd President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, as an example.
Thomas Jefferson is buried in a small cemetery in Virginia. Coincidentally passing away on the 4th of July 1826. The very day we celebrate his actions for signing the Declaration of Independence. (View his BG record here)
Let’s use the first search tool used by genealogists on BG to find more family and just do a basic search for other people with the last name “Jefferson” in the same cemetery. This returns 8 results. Not bad for the first search! But… BillionGraves can do SO much better!
BillionGraves Helps you Find MORE!
If we were like any other site, that’s about as far as you could go on a basic search. But BillionGraves is NOT like any other site. We have the GPS location of not just the grave for Thomas, but for the entire cemetery! This means we can look at exactly where Thomas is buried AND look at the graves nearby to find even more information!
We know that more than 70% of people are buried in family plots. Using the BillionGraves Plus Nearby Graves tool, we can see who is buried nearby Thomas regardless of their last name. Notice how this search shows several people buried within a few feet of Thomas. In total, we actually find a total of 18 people buried within 25 feet with the last names of Randolph, Carr, Eppes and more. A quick look at these headstones shows inscriptions of their relationship to Thomas Jefferson!
Thanks to the GPS coordinates and the Nearby Graves tool on BillionGraves Plus, we were able to find 10 more people that are related to Thomas Jefferson in just a matter of minutes, that we wouldn’t have found otherwise!
Use Nearby Graves in Your Research
What does this mean for you? That’s simple! When you find someone on BillionGraves, don’t just stop there. Look at the headstones surrounding their gravesite using the Nearby Grave tool in BillionGraves Plus. Read the inscription of those stones for any clues to their relationship or any family members. You never know what treasures you will find on headstones. Who knows; you could be one search away from finding those elusive family members or breaking through your genealogy “brick walls”!
Don’t take our word for it. Read what Richard Sayre CG, CGL, FUGA, instructor and professional genealogist has to say about BillionGraves…
“The BG+ tools represent a significant and unique analytical capability for genealogists. With the ability to display family plots and nearby graves, potential relationships are readily identifiable.“
Thousands of genealogists around the world use BillionGraves’ Plus services to use better data to find family for them. Upgrade your account today and use BillionGraves’ POWERFUL tools and BETTER data to add family to your family tree!
What are you waiting for?! Upgrade your account today HERE!
-The BillionGraves Team
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Introducing BillionGraves Inbox
We are happy to release a new internal messaging system on BillionGraves.
This new feature will allow you, the user, to control how often you receive communications from BillionGraves and other users. You can choose to receive a summary email, instead of a single email for every alert that is available on BillionGraves. Putting you in control and keeping you focused on your research.
You will see this feature available from your dashboard or from the header on every page of the website.
*You must be logged in to see this feature.
Manage Inbox Settings
To update your inbox settings, click on the gear icon next to your profile image. Then scroll down to “Contact Permissions“.
From here you can manage communications you receive from BillionGraves by placing a checkmark next to each type of communication listed.
At the bottom of this tab, you will see the option to “Combine emails into a summarized email”.
- By choosing “None” you will receive emails immediately as they are sent by BillionGraves.
- By choosing “Daily, Weekly, or Monthly” you will receive a summary email according to the timeframe selected.
You can update these settings at any time. You can also update these settings directly from the footer of each email that you receive from BillionGraves.
Note: Unsubscribing from communications on this page will only alter the emails that you receive to your personal email account registered on BillionGraves. All communications will be available to view in your BG Inbox when you log in.
We hope you enjoy these new features and updates on BillionGraves! Many more updates and features will be released soon. Stay tuned to our blog for more updates on these features.
Sincerely,
The BillionGraves Team
Read MoreOver 1 Million More in May – 2017 Results
Over 1 Million More in May!
The final results are in and the numbers speak for themselves! 500,998 photos were taken, 577,712 records were transcribed (with an additional 534,000 images waiting to be transcribed)! In total volunteers made over 1,078,710 contributions during the month of May!
The Grand Prize:
50,000 Photos Uploaded | 30,000 Transcriptions
Special congratulations to Melyssawebb, ladynwht, and Stephanie for uploading and transcribing more than 50,000 images/records and earning the Grand Prize Apple Watch Series 2 Smartwatches!
Melyssawebb from Virginia has uploaded an astounding 260,330 photos and 48,997 transcriptions to BillionGraves since she joined in October 2013! Just for this challenge, she uploaded headstones from 7 states. Virginia, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Massachusets, New York, Georgia, South Carolina. That’s a LOT of traveling!
Ladynwht from California has transcribed an amazing 39,618 records to BillionGraves since she joined in January 2017!
Stephanie from Indiana has transcribed an amazing 30,769 records to BillionGraves since she joined on the 1st of May!
Thank you all for going the extra mile and achieving such an incredible goal!
Tier 3:
25,000 Photos Uploaded | 15,000 Transcriptions
Congratulations to Mary Hennig and Carin Cornwall for completing the Tier 3 Challenge and winning an Ancestry DNA testing kit!
Tier 2:
12,500 Photos Uploaded | 7,500 Transcriptions
Congratulations to Kevin, Kris M., Huskerken, Sunsearch, Alice MacGregor, NYHendersons, OurFamilyBefore, Yuval, Springsteen Fan, K_lassman, Ema, DeJavete, and Jedi1353 for completing the Tier 2 Challenge and winning an RAVPower 16W Solar Panel Charger!
Tier 1:
2,500 Photos Uploaded | 500 Transcriptions
Congratulations to ALL 267 VOLUNTEERS who completed the Tier 1 prize of 6 FREE months of BillionGraves Plus!
Again a special thank you all photographers and transcribers who participated!
Like us on Facebook and Instagram now for real-time updates and exclusive promos!
Million More in May Starts Now!
Million More in May Madness 2017 Has Started!
Happy May 1st, BillionGravers!
May has started and you know what that means! It’s time for our favorite event of the year – The 6th Annual Million More in May Competition! We have AMAZING prizes this year for all those who participate! Read more about the competition and prizes below.
The Million More in May Competition is a friendly event geared towards adding 1 Million (yes, that’s a 1 with six zeros behind it!) unique images, and 1 Million additional records transcribed and added to the BillionGraves database in the month of May. With all the new users and wonderful weather we could easily reach our 1 million record goal, and make a lot of people, looking for those records, eternally grateful for the hard work.
The Million More in May competition is open to ANY registered BillionGraves user, anywhere in the world. Not a registered users? That’s okay. It’s free and easy to do. Just click the link here to register.
We know that many users might not be in a climate with warm weather where picture taking is possible. Please consider transcribing records for this event! We will have other events throughout the year geared towards all of our international users with changing climates.
Want to take pictures? Start by getting the app on your mobile device.
(Download the iOS App HERE, Download the Android App HERE)
Looking for a cemetery to document? Learn how to find a cemetery to photograph here.
Want to transcribe photos? Learn more about how to transcribe by following the link HERE.
Start transcribing headstones HERE.
For those of you that really want to help and earn something while you are at it, we have GREAT prizes!
(Let’s face it, everyone likes FREE stuff!)
As always, the greatest reward for your efforts comes from knowing that you are preserving invaluable genealogical records as well as making them readily available for family members to locate. It’s not worth getting 1 million records if they aren’t done correctly!
Now to the prizes!
This year, each user can earn prizes based on how many photos or transcriptions they have completed. The more photos or transcriptions completed, the better the prizes! Starting at Tier 1 all the way up to the GRAND prize, every contributor can earn these great prizes! At the end of the month, we will calculate your points and whichever prize tier your contributions end in, will qualify you for the prizes below.
2,500 Photos Uploaded | 500 Transcriptions
For all users that upload more than 2,500 photos or complete 500 transcriptions they will receive 6 months free credit to the BillionGraves Plus services!
For this competition, we have increased this from 1 month to 6 months of BillionGraves Plus!! Take advantage of 7 features that will help you find family faster than ever before! Any month that you upload 2,500 photos or transcribe 500 images you can qualify to receive BG+ for free.* (Contributions in months other than May, will receive 1 month free credit instead of 6)
12,500 Photos Uploaded | 7,500 Transcriptions
If you upload 12,500 unique images, OR transcribe 7,500 images, you will earn a RAVPower 16W Solar Panel Charger.
These chargers are amazing lightweight solar panels that can quickly charge your devices while out in the cemetery. Take it with you on hikes, your next camping trip, or for any emergency and you’ll have power for all your electronics.
25,000 Photos Uploaded | 15,000 Transcriptions
Have you been anxiously wanting to have your DNA results from your favorite family tree or provider? Well wait no longer. By uploading 25,000 unique images, OR transcribe 15,000 images, you will earn a DNA test from any of the providers below!
That’s right, it’s your choice. Reach this level in the month of May and we’ll send you the DNA test of your choice. The specific DNA test that can be earned can be found by clicking on the links above. Break through those brick walls or be the center of your next family reunion with your DNA results from these great providers!
50,000 Photos Uploaded | 30,000 Transcriptions
Last but not least, if you upload 50,000 unique images, OR transcribe 30,000 records, we will give you your choice between a brand new, Apple Watch, Series 2* OR a Samsung Gear S3**!
That’s right, this isn’t a drawing for one prize! EVERY user that uploads over 50,000 unique photos or transcribes 30,000 records will get their very own, brand new, Apple Watch Series 2 or Samsung Gear S3. These devices are incredible! Track your sleep and fitness goals. Receive and send phone calls and text messages. Or you can download your own apps and have endless fun! One thing is for certain, this is a prize you don’t want to miss out on!
Terms and conditions do apply so please read below for more details!
ATTENTION:
PLEASE, follow all the guidelines for taking the “PERFECT” picture! Need a refresher? Read this great article about the 7 ways to become the photographer that every genealogists loves! Remember with our photo rating system that our transcribers will be making sure that QUALITY photos are the only kind of photos acceptable! Any blurry or poor photos will removed from your total. We love doing competitions like this, but we all need to remember that quality is ALWAYS better than quantity!
| Note: All photos and transcriptions will be audited throughout the competition. Any photos that do not adhere to the guidelines found in the article HERE will be disqualified from the competition. |
HOW TO FIND A CEMETERY TO DOCUMENT:
This is a great question! We have put together several videos to help users find a cemetery nearby to photograph. For additional information, refer to the getting started page here.
- How to Update your Location to Find Nearby Cemeteries
- How to Find a Cemetery To Photograph – Empty Cemetery
- How to Find a Cemetery to Photograph – Some Records Completed, But Not All
- How to Work with the Cemetery to Take Photos
A SPECIAL NOTE FROM BILLIONGRAVES:
Taking 50,000 photos or transcribing 30,000 records is no small feat! Only a small handful of people have ever achieved it.
We want to give prizes away to everyone! However, BillionGraves is proud to maintain a FREE site! Remember, our goal is to document the world’s cemeteries and make it available to anyone and everyone for FREE!
We like to spice things up every now and then with prizes and giveaways! So for anyone who wants to step up and be apart of a very small elite group of volunteers, this month’s prize is just for you!
How does the competition work?
Each photo uploaded and transcription completed earns you 1 point. BillionGraves offers many great prizes. Prizes are awarded to users who reach certain point levels throughout the month of May. At the end of the month, the total number of points you earned by taking photos or transcribing records is used to calculate which prize tier you earned for your efforts! The more points you earn, the better the prize!
Note: we do NOT combine your photos uploaded and transcriptions as a part of the event totals. We recognize that there are different obstacles for photographers than there are for transcribers. We have tried to reflect these obstacles in the total number of contributions required for each prize tier.
There is no limit to the number of photos taken or transcriptions completed. All entries must be submitted before June 1, 2017 (00:00 UTC time). Terms and conditions do apply.
• Register! It’s 100% free and 100% necessary if you’re going to participate in this competition. Make sure once you register that you verify your email! To claim your prize we will communicate with you through the email you provide and verify.
• Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter and Instagram! It’s simple to do and keeps you constantly up to date will all the new amazing things we are doing at BG!
• Make sure that you have the latest and greatest BillionGraves apps. Check the iTunes App Store, Google Play, for any updates for your device.
• Make it a habit. Go to the cemetery regularly—incorporate a local cemetery into your daily walk or bike ride, and snap some pictures along the way.
• Create a group event! It’s a great way to get organized and share in the fun with friends. Create an group event here.
• Follow your progress on our leaderboard! We have awesome graphics that will track your progress every step of the way! The leaderboard is not in real time. Please allow 24 hours for numbers to reflect accurately! Remember that photos that are flagged by transcribers will be removed from your totals, so the totals may vary daily. Don’t forget you can always correct any images that are flagged. Learn more about fixing flagged images here.
• A word of advice: don’t wait for Memorial Day. The decorations at the cemetery for that holiday actually make it MORE difficult to collect images—people have to transcribe the content, and flower arrangements and other decorations can easily obscure that important content.
• Contest begins May 1, 2017 and ends May 31, 2017 @ 11:59 pm GMT (That’s 6 pm MST)
| A great way to reach your goal is to grab your friends and head out to the cemetery as a group! |
Teamwork always pays off!
If everyone in the group logs their different devices into one account, your efforts will be combined, making it easier to hit your goal! Once you hit the 50,000 photo goal or 30,000 transcription goal, switch it up and combine efforts under another person in the group and earn multiple devices!
So make it a group effort! Get a few friends/family members out at a time, log in to the same account, and take as many pictures as you can in one outing. For example, a husband/wife team could get the grand prize together by taking 30,000 images each, which is less than many users do in a month by themselves.
Note: Only one prize will be given per username, and will be shipped to the username the efforts are performed under. [/info_box]
“What?! BillionGraves isn’t really going to give out these prizes… are they?!”
YES! We really are giving out these great prizes! Still don’t believe us? Ask Nancy Alford, Melyssawebb, jodie1, Paulwuzhere, William, FionaNZ or liallee and see if we were kidding? Here is Fiona enjoying the iPad mini she won during one of our previous competitions!
The Fine Print. (Cause we have to have fine print, right?)
- All photos and transcriptions must be submitted before the closing date of May 31, 2017 @ 11:59:59 pm GMT (That’s 6 pm MST). Any submissions after that point will be excluded from the final results.
- This promotion is intended for photographers and transcribers. Let’s go outside!
- Supporting records will NOT be counted towards the monthly totals. Only images that originate from the genuine BillionGraves apps will be accepted.
- If you or another user marks a headstone picture as “bad” we deduct it from the uploader’s total images.
- For transcribers, we will be looking extra hard at the quality of transcriptions as well. We will erase the record and have it re-transcribed if it’s not done correctly. Any record not transcribed correctly will be deducted from your total.
- In the off chance that we don’t have enough images to transcribe, GO TAKE PICTURES! We will allow both photos taken and transcriptions completed to count ONLY if there are no photos left in the transcription queue. BillionGraves must announce this update before this exclusion becomes active.
- Make sure you have permission and are welcome to take pictures in your local cemetery before doing so. Remember, private cemeteries require permission of the owner before taking any pictures. No one likes a trespasser!
- This promotion is open to all to participate ages 13 and above for free. Registration is required. (Register HERE. Come on. You know you want to. It’s free!)
- More than one individual may contribute to a single account, however, the limit is one prize redemption per BillionGraves account. The prize will be claimed by only the username the combined work was completed under. BillionGraves will not arbitrate any disputes. ALL RECORDS MUST BE UNDER ONE ACCOUNT. BILLIONGRAVES WILL NOT COMBINE ACCOUNTS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE.
- Items will ship in 6-8 weeks after contest closes for winners in the U.S. International winners please allow 8-12 weeks for items to be delivered.
- Due to current world-unrest, some areas may increase the amount of time it takes for prizes to be delivered. If for some reason your country isn’t compatible with the prize tiers, we will work with you to provide you with a prize or gift card that is equal in value.
- Recipients will be required to provide a mailing address for physical items.
- Winner will be required to provide completed tax forms for redemption of the prize
- REQUIRED: ALL PRIZES MUST BE CLAIMED WITH PROPER MAILING/DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS BY THE 15TH OF JUNE OR YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE THE PRIZE! WE WILL SEND OUT CONFIRMATION EMAILS BY THE 3RD OF JUNE. IF YOU DON’T RECEIVE A CONFIRMATION EMAIL ASKING FOR YOUR ADDRESS, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SENDING IT TO US BY THE 15TH AT HTTP://BILLIONGRAVES.COM/SUPPORT.
We’re super excited for this amazing competition! Now, get outside and earn yourself great prizes!
Good luck!
-The BillionGraves Team
Read MoreMillion More in May Madness 2017
Million More in May Madness 2017
May is just around the corner, BillionGravers!
That’s right. It’s almost May and you know what that means! We are coming up on our most exciting month of the year. It’s warmer outside, the trees are greener, the flowers are beginning to bloom, and it’s time for our favorite event of the year – The 6th Annual Million More in May Competition! We have AMAZING prizes this year for those who participate!
What is it?
The Million More in May Competition is a friendly event geared towards adding 1 Million (yes, that’s a 1 with six zeros behind it!) unique images, and 1 Million additional records transcribed and added to the BillionGraves database in the month of May. With all the new users and wonderful weather we could easily reach our 1 million record goal, and make a lot of people, looking for those records, eternally grateful for the hard work.
How can I participate?
It’s easy and free to participate! You can take photos of headstones in cemeteries near you with your mobile device, or you can transcribe photos that others have taken and make them searchable on the site. The Million More in May competition is open to ANY registered BillionGraves user, anywhere in the world.
We know that many users might not be in a climate with warm weather where picture taking is possible. Please consider transcribing records for this event! We will have other events throughout the year geared towards all of our international users!
The ultimate goal is to preserve and document over 1 million headstones from around the world in just 1 month!
Want to take pictures? Start by getting the app on your mobile device.
(Download the iOS App HERE, Download the Android App HERE)
Want to transcribe photos? Learn more about how to transcribe by following the link HERE.
Start transcribing headstones HERE.
How does the competition work?
Each photo uploaded and transcription completed earns you 1 point. BillionGraves offers many great prizes Prizes are awarded to users who reach certain point levels throughout the month of May. At the end of the month, the total number of points you earned by taking photos or transcribing records is used to calculate which prize you earned for your efforts! The more points you earn, the better the prize!
There is no limit to the number of photos taken or transcriptions completed. All entries must be submitted before June 1, 2017 (00:00 UTC time) Terms and conditions do apply.
Some Helpful Tips
• Register! It’s 100% free and 100% necessary if you’re going to participate in this competition. Make sure once you register that you verify your email! To claim your prize we will communicate with you through the email you provide and verify.
• Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter and Instagram! It’s simple to do and keeps you constantly up to date will all the new amazing things we are doing at BG!
• Make sure that you have the latest and greatest BillionGraves apps. Check the iTunes App Store, Google Play, for any updates for your device.
• Make it a habit. Go to the cemetery regularly—incorporate a local cemetery into your daily walk or bike ride, and snap some pictures along the way.
| A great way to reach your goal is to grab your friends and head out to the cemetery as a group! |
• Create a group event! It’s a great way to get organized and share in the fun with friends. Create an group event here.
• Follow your progress on our leaderboard! We have fancy graphics that will track your progress every step of the way! The leaderboard is not in real time. Please allow 24 hours for numbers to reflect accurately! Remember that photos that are flagged by transcribers will be removed from your totals, so the totals may vary daily. Don’t forget you can always correct any images that are flagged. Learn more about fixing flagged images here.
• A word of advice: don’t wait for Memorial Day. The decorations at the cemetery for that holiday actually make it MORE difficult to collect images—people have to transcribe the content, and flower arrangements and other decorations can easily obscure that important content.
• Contest begins May 1, 2017 and ends May 31, 2017 @ 11:59 pm GMT (That’s 6 pm MST)
What’s next!?
More details about the competition and prizes will be released on May 1st! So make sure you stay connected for all the best info!
We are excited for a fun May competition to kick start the warm weather!
More to come.
-The BillionGraves Team
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