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Why do we find, record and preserve burial records?
Volunteers go to cemeteries, photograph gravestones, research and help others for many reasons. Some top of mind are:
- For the historical and genealogical record as gravestones don’t last forever
- To find and remember those who have passed on
- To share in the beauty and peace found in resting places
If you’ve been involved in family history before the internet, you may remember writing letters or making phone calls to cemeteries or churches and asking for more information about your ancestor’s headstone or burial location. Those days are no longer, due to members all over the world who volunteer their time to help with these discoveries found in cemeteries.
Headstones often contain a treasure trove of information. In addition to names, headstones might include birth and death dates and places, the names of family members, unique inscriptions, symbols or icons, and other clues to religion, military service, fraternal organizations, and more. A simple headstone photograph can unlock the door to additional genealogical information or could be your missing puzzle piece.
Headstones and their inscriptions don’t last forever. Some are covered in moss or lichen, while others are sunken, faded, damaged or broken. Over time, nature takes its toll on grave makers. In some cemeteries, the only record left is what is located on the headstone. That is why it is so important to photograph them now and record the information for generations to come.
For example, William Middleton’s gravestone and memorial contains a historical and genealogical record that now is available to anyone interested in this history. This record could have been lost had the stone not been photographed and added to his memorial.
John Thomas Thorpe’s gravestone shares information about a father and three of his sons that all died when they were young. Likely a tree was planted near the stone in remembrance for these family members.
Examples of the peace, beauty, and refuge found in cemeteries.
Learn more about photographing graves in the Grave Photo Guide or see suggested items to bring to the cemetery in the Cemetery Kit Guide.