The practise of commemorating a loved one’s final resting place dates back thousands of years.
Cemeteries are living history lessons. People who buried their loved ones revealed a lot about themselves as well as those who had passed. While headstones are not considered primary sources of information, they are a good source of dates, birthplaces, maiden names, spouses’ names, and parents’ names.
Why should you visit a cemetery if you already know your ancestor’s birth and death dates? Because you never know what you might come across. Headstones nearby can lead you to further family members.
Tips for Visiting a Cemetery
- If the cemetery is not too huge and you have the time, a comprehensive transcription of the cemetery can be quite useful. Even if you merely take note of the names and dates on each headstone, as well as their location in the cemetery, it may save you time in the future.
- Names, dates, and inscriptions should be written precisely as they appear on the stone. Having an accurate record will be very valuable as you move ahead with your research.
- Make a sketch or take a close-up photo of any symbols you don’t recognise so you can check them up later. These badges or emblems could be important indications to membership in an organisation that has documents about your ancestor.
- Take note of how headstones are related to one another. Family members were typically buried in the same cemetery. Parents’ graves may be nearby. Small unmarked stones could be the remains of children who perished in infancy. Other relatives may be buried in surrounding sections as well.
- As you walk about, keep an eye out for the backs of the headstones, which may contain more information.
- If you are having trouble reading the inscription, do not try to clean the headstone. Even rubbings can destroy a headstone. You can use a nylon (never wire) bristle brush and plain water to rinse the headstone thoroughly. If it’s a bright sunny day, try using a mirror to reflect the sunlight on the headstone which can assist to bring out the engravings.
- When visiting abandoned cemeteries or those on private land, exercise caution. Never access private property without permission, and never venture to distant or risky locations alone.