Genealogy Friday: 7 Ways to Discover Where Your Ancestor Is Buried

posted in: Burial Places, Cemetery | 0

research

 

 

Where oh where is my ancestor buried? Where or where could s/he be?

That is often the big question!

 

There are several ways to discover where your ancestor may or may not be buried.

  1. You could begin by checking sites such as Find A Grave and Billion Dollar Graves.  Just remember that not every grave or tombstone in a given cemetery is always listed.
  2. Check for an obituary for your ancestor.  Is the place of burial listed?tombs
  3. Is there a death certificate for your ancestor?  Often the place of burial is listed on the death certificate.
  4. If your ancestor died before death certificates were created, check the family Bible for a possible date of death.  Is place of burial listed?
  5. Check land records or family histories to inquire if your ancestor may have been buried on private property.
  6. Check church histories, mortuaries and other burial records.  Do you know where your ancestor attended church?  Are other family members buried in the church cemetery?  Is there a local mortuary that has burial records?   The farther back you get into the 19th Century, the more difficult these are to track down.
  7. Search Maps—search local maps of the area for cemeteries that may now be abandoned.  If you live close to the area, you could also drive around searching for any abandoned cemeteries.

 

Leave a Response: How have you found your ancestors burial place?

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