Spend an afternoon taking cemetery pictures.
Why photograph tombstones? For birth and death information. Also, the stones often tell stories
about the family.
Also take pictures of any other grave with family or in-law names for later research. This tombstone (right), for Salina
Williams in Augusta, Illinois, gave us a starting point for tracing a common-name family living in a different nearby
community. Sure enough, she was a linear ancestor!
We also document graves for findagrave.com, where people can go to "visit" graves they otherwise could not find or see
firsthand. It's a free site, and if you are looking for a grave in a known cemetery, you might ask a volunteer to submit a
photo. Someone living in that area may help you.
Why photograph tombstones? For birth and death information. Also, the stones often tell stories
about the family.
Also take pictures of any other grave with family or in-law names for later research. This tombstone (right), for Salina
Williams in Augusta, Illinois, gave us a starting point for tracing a common-name family living in a different nearby
community. Sure enough, she was a linear ancestor!
We also document graves for findagrave.com, where people can go to "visit" graves they otherwise could not find or see
firsthand. It's a free site, and if you are looking for a grave in a known cemetery, you might ask a volunteer to submit a
photo. Someone living in that area may help you.
Glynn Patrick & Associates: We Capture "Forever"
Cemetery Research Tips
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We documented the existence of the Shurte Family Cemetery for findagrave.com. GP&A staff travelled to Cass County, Michigan and studied old
land platte maps (with a current overlay map) to find it deep in a farmer's field. Historical societies are the best place to find such maps (and
sometimes city clerk's offices).
land platte maps (with a current overlay map) to find it deep in a farmer's field. Historical societies are the best place to find such maps (and
sometimes city clerk's offices).
| The Shurte Family Cemetery is hidden on a farmer's field in a grove of trees. The cemetery was the first burial ground in LaGrange, Michigan, created by pioneer Isaac Shurte. |
Using shaving cream -- applied and then scraped flat against the stone with a plastic squeegie so that it fills in
depressions -- is as effective as it is controversial. It works much better than rubbings or any other methods we have
ever tried. Of all cemetery restoration methods, this has become the most debated practice.
We do use shaving cream as a last resort for an illegible stone for our direct ancestors, avoiding brands with stearic acid (use palmitic brands
instead). And we do take gallons of water to rinse a stone, rather than the traditional spray mist bottle, and we also dry the stone. We douse it and
use a toothbrush to remove all residue possible. The "pro" argument for shaving cream is that the stones are becoming illegible to any other method
of reading, and this movement to photograph and record gravestones leads to a certain preservation of disappearing information.
depressions -- is as effective as it is controversial. It works much better than rubbings or any other methods we have
ever tried. Of all cemetery restoration methods, this has become the most debated practice.
We do use shaving cream as a last resort for an illegible stone for our direct ancestors, avoiding brands with stearic acid (use palmitic brands
instead). And we do take gallons of water to rinse a stone, rather than the traditional spray mist bottle, and we also dry the stone. We douse it and
use a toothbrush to remove all residue possible. The "pro" argument for shaving cream is that the stones are becoming illegible to any other method
of reading, and this movement to photograph and record gravestones leads to a certain preservation of disappearing information.
Recovering illegible, worn stones.
Recovering "lost" cemeteries.