How to find information on ancestors?

Question:

How to find information on ancestors?

I have tried all genealogical databses, went to my local courthouse and library, newspapers. asked older relatives, and have been on gen forum, lds..etc. this was my great great grandmother, all i have are her first initials and last name. I know where she is buried and it has no grave marker, and the old cemetery records weren't kept ehn she died. Any one have anyother ideas? and yes I have checked census also.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Sometimes you strike out. I was going to suggest the Family History Center in your local LDS church, if you live in the US. They have access to all of the censuses, not just the 1880. With luck you can find her from 1850 (When they started listing women and minors my name, instead of just totalling them up) to 1900. It is rare for someone to be on three or four censuses by their initials.

It is common for someone to be "Mary J" in one census and "Jane M" in the next.

Once in a while - 5% of the time or less - you get a father-in-law living with the family, or a single brother-in-law, which gives you the maiden name, maybe.

(Married or widowed brothers-in-law may be through the husband's sister.)

She may be with one of her children in the later censuses.

Her marriage record should have her full maiden name, if you can find what county she married in.

You may know all of this already; if so, I apologize for wasting your time.