Cemeteries
The Importance of Cemeteries in Genealogical Research
Cemeteries stand as silent witnesses to our collective history, offering an invaluable trove of information that bridges the past and present. These sacred grounds are more than just final resting places; they are rich historic resources that provide profound insights into settlement patterns, historic events, religious practices, and the lifestyles of those who came before us. For genealogists and historians, cemeteries are indispensable, offering clues and connections that help piece together the intricate tapestry of our shared heritage.
From the layout of the graves to the epitaphs and symbols etched on tombstones, every detail in a cemetery can reveal stories of individual lives and broader societal trends. They offer a direct link to our ancestors, enabling us to trace family lineages, understand migration patterns, and uncover personal narratives that have shaped our communities.
Uncovering Ancestral Resting Places
FamilySearch Cemeteries, Find A Grave, BillionGraves, and The Black Cemetery Network
FamilySearch
All records on FamilySearch are available for free. The records are accessible to to be used without a subscription.
Founded: 1894
Find a Grave
As part of Ancestry.com, Find A Grave records can be easily linked to family trees on Ancestry. These records enhance the useability for genealogical research.
Founded: 1995
BillionGraves
BillionGraves provides precise GPS coordinates for each headstone, making it easier to locate graves exactly within a cemetery.
Founded: 2011
The Black Cemetery Network
The Black Cemetery Network connect people and projects working to counter black cemetery erasures.
Founded : 2018
Rhedesium
A comprehensive repository of genealogical and cemetery records, offering a wide range of burial records, including memorials, birth and death certificates, and even images of gravestones.
Founded : 2019
African American Cemeteries Projects - Please Donate
United States Colored Troops Cemeteries
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Center for Civil War Research, U. S. Colored Troops Burials , has a list of USCT cemeteries and burial plots across the United States.
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Register of U.S. Colored Troop Deaths During the Civil War 1861-1865. NARA NAID 1226169
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Records of Death and Interment at Camp Nelson, Kentucky - 1864 - 1865 - National Archives Catalog
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USCT buried in the cemeteries and graveyards of Bedford County , Pennsylvania.
Cemeterist Project
The overall goal of the Cemeterist Project is to document the world's cemeteries and those who are interred there in order to create and connect profiles of our deceased ancestors using original content . Cemeterists also serve as a local resource for photography, transcription, and research needs for existing ancestor profiles.
Military Cemeteries
Military cemetery records often provide precise birth and death dates, which can confirm or clarify vital statistics. They can include full names, aliases, and relationships to other individuals (such as next of kin), helping to verify family connections.
These records often include details about the individual's military service, such as rank, unit, and conflicts in which they served. Military burial records can lead to other military documents like pension files, service records, and enlistment papers. These additional documents can contain extensive genealogical data. Information on decorations and honors received can shed light on an ancestor’s experiences and contributions.
- U.S., Burial Registers, Military Posts and National Cemeteries, 1862-1960
U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S., Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949
U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1861-1985
U.S., Headstones Provided for Deceased Union Civil War Veterans, 1861-1904
Records of the American Battle Monuments Commission [ABMC]
This register includes the records for those buried and memorialized at our World War I and World War II overseas military cemeteries, along with those names on the Walls of the Missing at the East Coast Memorial, West Coast Memorial, and Honolulu Memorial. Burial information can also be found for those interred at Corozal American Cemetery and Mexico City National Cemetery. This register does not include individuals who died overseas in World War I or World War II and were repatriated to the United States for burial.
Obituaries
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Afro-American Genealogical and Historical Society of Chicago Memorials - ACPL Genealogy Center
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Ancestorrecords.org
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GenealogyBank
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Legacy - Obituaries in Popular Cities
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Newspapers.com
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The Geography of Slavery in Virginia
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U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current - Ancestry.com
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United States Obituaries - Cyndi's List
Baptism for the Dead
The Church’s extensive focus on genealogical research through FamilySearch and its worldwide Family History Centers provides resources to trace difficult-to-find records, including those of enslaved individuals.
Baptism for the dead and other LDS temple ordinances can be particularly meaningful for those tracing family history for enslaved ancestors, despite the unique challenges involved.
FamilySearch has developed partnerships with archives and organizations to digitize and make accessible records that were previously fragmented or difficult to access, including records specific to enslaved populations, such as plantation records, probate inventories, and Freedmen’s Bureau records.
- Baptism and confirmation cleanse and confirm the individual as a member of the Church with the guidance of the Holy Ghost.
- Initiatory prepares the individual for further spiritual blessings, symbolizing purity and readiness for exaltation.
- Endowment teaches important spiritual truths, making covenants with God that empower individuals to reach their full spiritual potential.
- Sealings (to parents and spouse) ensure that familial relationships endure beyond death, creating the possibility of eternal family unity. including those who were enslaved. This belief in family sealing aligns with the hope of also reuniting families who were separated during slavery.
Baptism for the dead, performed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), is a unique religious ordinance that allows members to be baptized on behalf of those who have died without receiving this essential sacrament. This practice is based on the belief that baptism is necessary for salvation, but because many people have lived without the opportunity to be baptized during their lifetimes, LDS members perform the ordinance vicariously for them in temples.
The practice of baptism for the dead in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) has been ongoing for over 180 years, beginning in 1840 when Joseph Smith, the church's founder, introduced the doctrine.
- For many LDS members, performing ordinances for enslaved ancestors is a way to honor and recognize them as individuals, something that was historically denied.
- Temple ordinances, such as baptism and sealing to family members, serve as spiritual affirmations of an enslaved ancestor’s identity and eternal value, connecting them to future generations with dignity.
- Even when exact relationships are unknown, descendants can still honor their ancestors through ordinances and genealogical acknowledgment, expressing a desire for eternal family connection.
- For individuals who were born within the last 110 years, LDS members must obtain permission from the closest living relatives before performing ordinances on behalf of the deceased. This applies especially if the deceased practiced a different religion or had surviving family members who do not wish for the ordinance to be performed.
Headstones & Memorial Symbols
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Headstone and Memorials Symbols and Meanings - From Across the U.S.
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Tombstone Symbols - PDF
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Symbols on Gravestones and Their Interpretation
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs emblems for headstones and markers
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Headstone Symbols and Meanings: A Guide to Cemetery Symbols
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Cemetery Symbolism in Stone- PDF
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Term used to Describe Cemeteries and Grave Markers - PDF
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CemeteryPreservation Manual - PDF
