Unfortunately, many colonial gravestones are now missing or impossible to read. So, women who died fairly young or did nothing of note that might get them listed in local papers, may be virtually impossible to trace without cemetery records. Censuses from before 1850 only listed “female” and an age range, not a name. Women living in the 1800s also may only be listed by name in cemetery records. It’s important to remember that child deaths were much more common in those times than they are today. It can sometimes be difficult to locate cemetery records, but the time and trouble it takes to find those records is often well worth it to the researcher, especially if the person of interest happened to die when they were under the age of 21.Ĭemetery records may contain the only information about those who died at a young age, especially those who died in the 1800s. However, there are times when one or more of the records above may be the only available reference that lists a certain person’s birth or death. In many cases, the records above can be used to verify the birth and death information in other genealogical resources. The following are types of cemetery records that genealogists need to look for: Although Christian and Jewish cemeteries and burial spots are usually most interesting to genealogists, the practice of creating cemeteries or other burial areas for groups of people is several thousand years old. Information about deaths and births can often be found in cemetery records. You may even find that the records that you are able to locate will be able to take your family tree into entirely new directions that you never would have considered. It can actually prove to be very surprising to learn everything that records from cemeteries can offer you and your research. Whether you are working on a comprehensive genealogy family tree, or are just researching a few generations back out of curiosity, cemetery records can play a huge role in your project. Additionally, it can comprise of military service, description of relationship in the family, or cause of death. Gravestones usually consist of the date of birth and death. You will discover several types of information and facts which might be extracted from cemeteries. When you have STATE cemetery records and other documents, you will have all of the information you need right at your fingertips, and you can get to work creating a family tree that future generations can continue to add to.Ĭontact the various cemeteries to find out how you can get copies of STATE cemetery records to use for your research.Īny time there are no formally documented birth, marriage and death records, cemetery records might function as an replacement source. You can usually find the names of the immediate family members of the deceased in STATE cemetery records.Ĭreating a detailed family tree doesn’t have to be a difficult job. Names of Immediate Family Members – Not only can STATE cemetery records provide information about the person you are currently researching, they can lead you to other names to research.Your STATE cemetery records may even hold the name of the attending physician at the time of death, which is just more interesting information for future generations to learn. Cause of Death – This is a crucial piece of information for your research.You can get this information from STATE cemetery records. Location of Death – It may be that the person you are currently researching did not die in the same area where they were buried.You will need to include birth dates as well as dates of deaths, which you can find in STATE cemetery records. Date of Death – When you are creating a family tree, you want your information to be as detailed and accurate as possible.Other information contained in STATE cemetery records includes: For Definitions of all Cemetery Terms See Symbols on Gravestones and Their Interpretations

Many documents are necessary to complete a family tree, including STATE cemetery records, and they can provide you with information that you may not be able to get any place else.įor example, if you want to know how old a person was when they died, this is one of the best ways to find out. People do this for many reasons, but mostly because they want to leave a legacy for future generations, so they will know about their family history. STATE cemetery records can provide people with a lot of the information they need to create family trees.

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