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Q. ---> How do I research a cemetery ?
A. ---> The following suggestions may be used as possible guides to successful cemetery researches:
Cemetery Research - by BARBARA JEAN GREEN bjgreen@infinet.com
As a family genealogist, I have found that looking and being professional will always get you more assistance in your research.
How?
I have met with a good deal of success using the following guidelines in my personal research. I share these as suggestions readily. I hope that they will assist you in your cemetery research and enhance your credibility as the family genealogist as they have me.
Barbara Jean Green - The Family Genealogist
Barbara is a family genealogist who has completed extensive research of her ancestors through visits to ancestral cemeteries.
Being Prepared - Before The Cemetery
Communication
Foremost, The Golden Rule applies when requesting information by
mail.
ALWAYS enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your requests, especially to family, friends, and hoped-for acquaintances.
Rightly or wrongly, people often judge our credibility by our
spelling of words.
To be the professional genealogist, and to look the part, learn how to spell
some very important words that we often use.
CEMETERY (is not with an ..ary)
EMIGRATE is to leave one country, or region, to settle in another;
IMMIGRATE is to come to a country of which one is not a native, usually for
permanent residence
RECEIVE is likewise deceiving, and is not spelled as it sounds
THEIR, is a pronoun (THEIR home is lovely); as opposed to THERE, being
an adverb (THERE is the house)
YOU'RE is a contraction ('contraction'...meaning a shortened form of a
word or phrase) of YOU ARE; while the word YOUR is a pronoun, used when
writing...I Like YOUR idea, or ...the cemetery is on YOUR left.
BUSINESS CARDS
The Caretakers of cemeteries give me a lot less flack when I immediately offer them my GENEALOGY BUSINESS card that I printed up myself on the computer. They are less inclined to show you ALL of their available info....if they think you are just being nosy.
Your BUSINESS CARDS can be created on the computer where the cost is minimal. It should include the following:
Your full name (ladies including their MAIDEN
name in parenthesis) -- along with hyphens to given surnames where there has been more than one marriage, i.e. Reynolds-Green.
In bolder print, identify yourself as - The Family's Genealogist {the handle I use} and gladly share with anyone, or whatever else be of your choosing.
Offer your mailing address, phone number, FAX if applicable, and E-Mail address too.
LETTERHEAD
Create your individual LETTERHEAD as a genealogist. It's great for requesting all sorts of documents, or just writing friends and relatives.
If you have a clip art application, letterheads can be created using almost any clip art application or word processor with art insertions.
Not having that availability, to create your own letterhead, you can glue down some sort of genealogy paste-up in the top center, after you have printed out a well-framed page with your personal data (to include your full name, address, phone number, FAX number, and most certainly your E-Mail address). Take the pasted-up copy to a local Xerox printing establishment to run multiple copies. I have found that MAIL BOXES ETC- will print my copies for 3.5 cents a page, or $3.50 per hundred. I use hundreds of pages of this
letterhead.
RETURN ADDRESS LABELS
RETURN ADDRESS labels are a must for genealogists, for all that Snail Mail. It's also good to use when attending any function or meeting where you want to leave your trail.
Again, if you have the appropriate application, labels can be created and inserted onto commercial made labels for almost any size that you want by using your computer. If you are using more than the conventional 30 labels per page you may want to locate a commercial business that deals in bulk labels.
My top choice for inexpensive Address Labels; where they will print a 5-line label, is MILES KIMBALL, Oshkosh, WI 54906. (You can write
for their Free Catalog -- sorry no Toll-Free number available.) I buy a variety of their labels -- the 5-liners in Clear, and in White -- also their Jumbo Address Labels -- and their large Mailing Labels with my return address which I use on extremely large envelopes, tubes, and packages.
RUBBER STAMPS
If you are in the business of mailing genealogy books which you have bound and printed, have an Office Supply Store make you a hand-stamp to read: BOUND BOOK MATTER, to use in stamping on the outside of the heavy-duty envelope or box in which it is shipped. Otherwise, the Post Office has a much more expensive postage rate that they will use. This is one of the best tricks-of-the-trade I have found.
Treat yourself to some genealogical RUBBER STAMPS. I about went berserk last year when I first hit upon a fabulous rubber stamping site for genealogists: http://rootstamps.com/ From there, go to GENEALOGY, and also check their ON SALE offers. I purchased dozens of different stamps from these wonderful people who are old-time genealogists themselves.
For awhile, my research efforts took a back seat while I played at rubber stamping. I even went to school, to learn the techniques of embossing, etc, with a hot air blower.
BRIEFCASE
For all of my traveling work I always carry a 1st Class briefcase. Not only does it impress but you can maintain your research out of the home in a much more organized fashion. At present I have graduated to a Luggage Carrier on Wheels which allows me to tow it behind me. You'd be surprised how heavy all those dead bones get to be.
At The Cemetery - Where to Begin
- It is useful to acquire a map of the cemetery you are going to visit. Mark where every grave is located.
The Use of A Camera
- All researchers know that authentic back-up is essential to any successful research. Besides a cemetery map, I have found it is best to use a
CAMERA THAT DATES THE FILM AUTOMATICALLY, as part of my research tools.
This feature is priceless if photos happened to be viewed many years down
the road. If someone is needing to purchase a camera anyway, let it be one
with this included, to assist in genealogical work. Sometimes the only
Secondary Source you can find is a photograph of the tombstone.
- I ALWAYS take my first shot, on the roll, of the Cemetery Entrance so I will later know the location of the following tombstone pictures on the roll. Even if the pictures get a little mixed up later, the negatives show the consecutive order.
Please Note: - One must always be careful not to damage the stone.
- I have found it very helpful to photograph every single tombstone I can find of my ancestors. It not only will preserve the image for posterity as the tombstone wears away BUT the photos are excellent reference materials.
I also photograph ancestors' tombstones for inclusion in my genealogical files.
- When photographing, get in close and get a FULL shot of the headstone.
The dates need to be larger and clearer for scanning purposes.
- On older white stones, you may need to photograph from an angle to try
and get a shadow on the names.
- Be sure to keep YOUR shadow out of the picture. On flat stones, you
can always photograph from the back side, upside-down, to prevent a shadow.
On upright stones, get low so the sun is over your shoulder or move to the
side slightly.
- The use of CHALK, lightly rubbed over the surface, can sometimes highlight the edges of worn lettering so it will show up in a photo.
- While I go around to different cemeteries where my ancestors are buried, I also photograph some of the most unusual tombstones. I am making a separate photo album (and later a book) of the most unusual and elaborate.
- Sharing helps! Everyone in my family who travels on vacation is asked to check cemeteries for ancestors in route.
- When cemetery visits are made during weekdays, it is particularly good to check their Office records, and copy down every statistic they have on the deceased. Their info also gives you the name of the Funeral Home handling the arrangements which is another source to check out.
- After visiting the cemetery, a follow-up visit to the local funeral home may reveal more facts about the ancestors you have located in the cemeteries.
Beware!
There have been times when I have been held up considerably with my follow-up visit to a funeral home. Their old records so intrigued me, I almost took up residence.
Interesting Facts From Funeral Home Records I Have Researched
Back in the 1915:
the cost to bury an ancestor was a mere $35. Itemizations included $2.50 for a dress or $2.15 for a shirt, collar, and tie, 50 cents to press a suit, $4.00 for a grave, $4.00 for a Horse Team for the Hearse and $4.00 for a carriage and horses for the family.
Disclaimer - I mentioned the commercial groups (specifics for printing, address labels, and rubber stamps) "as examples" as they are the best, cheapest, and most responsible. It took me years, with lots of trial and error, before settling on those certain ones. Hopefully, I can save others the lost time in shopping around, or acquaint them with the availabilities.
Barbara Jean (SCHRYVER) Reynolds-Green,
The Family's Genealogist
Researching HENCKEL/HENKLE (17 Generations, to 1500 AD) - SCHREIBER/SCHRYVER (11 Generations)- STINGLEY (11 Generations) - and MARTINDALE (8 Generations).
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