Cemetery Records – And the Plot Thickens……

There are several records that genealogists search for in regard to a death.  These include cemetery records (and grave inscriptions,) church records, sexton’s records, funeral home records, death records, and mortality records.  We will take a look at each, in turn.  Today, let’s investigate records from the cemetery.

Permit for Disposition of Human Remains

Even if you already know the date of death for your ancestor, cemetery records can offer you much more information about them.  For example, burial permits can be a wealth of information.  The boards of health of a state have been granting these permits for over 90 years. A burial permit gave a funeral director or undertaker authorization for the burial to take place. The information on a burial permit includes the name of the deceased, date of death, city of death, date of burial, and plot number and section where the grave is located, along with the name of informant and their relationship to the deceased.  That’s a lot of information!  But keep in mind it was supplied by an informant and is subject to errors. Burial permits are now known as Permits for Disposition of Human Remains. This form also allows for the cremation of remains.

Burial plat map

A burial plot (plat) map shows the ownership and the specific location of the plot.  It may also include additional details concerning the individuals buried there; depending on what that particular cemetery collects as information.

Burial or Interment Register for a National Cemetery

The burial or interment register is a record of burial for the deceased.  It includes the name of the deceased, age, address, marital status, date of death, date of burial, burial lot number and section where the lot is located for each individual.  When dealing with cemetery records, remember that the date of death and the date of burial are usually different. It is easy to confuse the two when you are involved in the thrill of finding that elusive information.

Private cemetery

Remember, cemeteries may be public or private.  A public cemetery is funded by taxpayers dollars and is under the jurisdiction of a governmental entity, be it local, county, state or federal.  A private cemetery is just that - private.  Private monies and contributions fund it.  You must have the permission of the governing organization in order to view their records. Privacy laws may limit what can be shared with the public.  Private cemeteries can include those with religious affiliations, organizational ties, fraternal groups and family cemeteries.

Friday we’ll take a look at grave inscriptions, discover what to search for, and decipher how to read them to learn more rare information about an ancestor.

~ Joy

Cemetery Research can be an Adventure

We genealogists have a lot of investigating and verifying to do when searching for our ancestors.  We know about finding birth certificates, marriage certificates and death certificates.  We know to check birth, marriage and death dates to validate if this is our forebear.  But there are other records available with cemetery connections that can help us gain more knowledge and a better understanding of our ancestors’ lives.

Cemetery records include church burial records, Sextons records, cemetery deeds, plot or plat records, burial permit records, grave opening orders and gravestone inscriptions.  Also of note are funeral home records, church and religious records, family bibles and cemetery associations.  All are a wealth of information and we will look more in-depth at each of these records in upcoming blogs.

Notice the death date for William has been scratched in

Tombstone research can provide a lot of information.  The usual birth and death dates should be given.  Although, not always the way you expect.  

Social status, Organization affiliation &
Military service are shown

Many times a marriage date is also listed.  But gravestones can also help us identify the deceased’s occupation, religion, military service, social status or sentimental regard held by others.

 Though it is exciting and thought provoking to locate your ancestors grave (and that alone may be enough reason for making the trip,) remember that you may gain more out of your excursion if you know what you are searching for.  It could be as simple as just wanting to visit the site or town.  Or it could involve searching for other relatives who may also be buried here, possibly infants or female relatives you were not aware of.

My Great-Grandmother Rachel (Gladish) France

Keep in mind too, that some older cemeteries are very difficult to locate.  They may no longer be in use, they may be on private property, they may have been relocated, or the name may have been changed or varied.  When my great-grandmother, Rachel (Gladish) France, died in 1970, I was extremely saddened to have lost one of my closest allies. As a child, I noticed few things about the day of her funeral, except that we drove for a long time in the country to get to a cemetery called Beatle.  Years later, when I started my genealogy research, I searched for Beatle Cemetery without luck.  The local genealogical society had no records on the name. I then approached the funeral home where the service was held, although it had changed ownership.  They were able to produce a copy of Rachel’s funeral card that showed interment in Biddle Cemetery.  After more research I discovered that it was actually Beadle (Beedle) Cemetery and it was located in an adjoining county, hence the long drive in the country.

My Great-Grandfather Marion France

Once there I remembered it and that hot August day, long ago.  There was the stone for Rachel along with one for her husband, Marion France, a great-grandfather I never met, but whom I was told I had a temper like.  (Quick to rise, quick to pass.)  That is when I discovered Jesse France, a child of my great-grandparents that I had never heard of.  

Paternal Great-grandparents Thomas & Sarah (Perry) Ready

And to end the day on an even more surprising note, I discovered that my paternal great-grandparents, Thomas and Sarah (Perry) Ready, were also buried in this cemetery, cat-a-corner from the Frances.  These are the only two groups of my relatives I am aware of that are buried in what is a family cemetery for the Beadle (Beedle) kin.  

Maternal Great-Grandparents stones in front,
paternal Great-Grandparents stone in back, toward left

Why both sets of great-grandparents are here, I have yet to find out.  But that is part of the fun of genealogy research; you never really get all of your questions answered.  Just enough to keep you looking backward and moving forward.

~ Joy