Madison
County Genealogical Society
Minutes of the Meeting - June 9, 2016
The June 2016 meeting of the Madison County
Genealogical Society was held at the Edwardsville Public Library on Thursday,
June 9, at 7:00 pm.
President, Robert Ridenour, called the
meeting to order.
GIFT
MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE
Do you have a family member that is
interested in (or even obsessed with) genealogy? A membership in the Madison
County Genealogical Society would be a very thoughtful gift. A gift card will
be sent to the recipient of any gift membership.
The following memberships are available:
Individual/Family Annual Membership $20.00
Patron Annual Membership $30.00
Life Membership $250.00
Contact our Secretary, Petie Hunter, at petie8135@att.net, about a gift membership.
June Meeting
On June 9,
2016, Tom Pearson, Subject Specialist in the Genealogy Room of the St. Louis
Public Library presented a program titled Speaks With the Dead: Getting to Know Your Living-Impaired Relatives or
The Basics of Cemetery Research.
What cemetery are they buried in?
The first step in doing cemetery research is discovering which cemetery your
ancestor was buried in. If you already know, great! If not, there are a number
of ways to find out:
1.
Is there a
surviving relative who might know? Ask him or her!
2.
Do you, or does
someone else in the family, have a death certificate for this person? The
certificate usually lists place of burial.
3.
Is a burial
permit required in the county where he or she is likely buried? If so, it will provide
the info you seek.
4.
Did the person in
question die an unnatural death (accident/homicide/suicide/mysterious illness)?
If so, the county coroner/medical examiner may be able to help.
5.
Is there an
obit/funeral notice in the local newspaper? A local public library/genealogy
society may be able to help.
6.
Are there only a
few funeral homes in that locality? Ask them to check for your relative  if
they are reluctant to do so, explain that you really only need the place of
burial!
7.
Was the person a
veteran? If yes, you can get that person's service record (regardless of your
relationship to him or her) if that service member was discharged prior to
1953. He or she might be buried in a National or state veterans' cemetery.
8.
Do you know the
person's religion? If so, contact a local church of that denomination.
9.
Do you know the
person's occupation? If he or she would have likely belonged
to a union, contact that local to see if they placed a death notice in the
local newspaper.
There are some good online resources that can
help you figure out where a person is buried.
Once you've learned the name of the cemetery, there are ways to figure out
exactly where it's located.
Once I
arrive at the cemetery, how do I find her grave?
You could try dowsing for it  Having somebody in the
car who knows its location is the best solution, of course.
1.
Walk the cemetery
(depending on its size, of course). Check headstones for death dates near to
that of the person you are looking for and remember,
relatives are often buried in the same lot, or adjacent lots.
2.
Ask the sexton
(if the cemetery has an office).
3.
Ask at the church
(if it is adjacent to one).
4.
Ask at City
Hall/County Courthouse  they likely have some relevant records, and a
long-time employee may have the info you seek.
5.
Ask at the local
public library (may have a map/book about the cemetery, or a long-time employee
may have the info you seek).
6.
Check in at the
local genealogical society office and ask questions.
7.
Ask a local
undertaker  he or she may have buried your relative, and will be knowledgeable
about local cemeteries in any event.
If the person is buried in a National Cemetery, you can usually download/print
a map of that cemetery on the Nationwide Gravesite Locator website.
What should I take with me to the cemetery?
1.
Area map (and
cemetery map, if available).
2.
Notebook and
clipboard.
3.
Pens, pencils,
and ruler.
4.
Cell phone/tablet
(and a car charger, if you have one).
5.
Digital camera
and extra batteries/memory cards.
6.
Umbrella.
7.
Pocket mirror.
8.
Spray water
bottle.
9.
Drinking water or
soda/bag of snacks.
10.
Compass/GPS
locator.
11.
Sunglasses/suntan
lotion.
12.
Sweater/long-sleeve
shirt/ball cap or broad-rimmed hat.
13.
Gloves.
14.
Boots/galoshes.
15.
Pruning
shears/hedge shears or a hoe.
16.
Insect repellant.
17.
Whistle.
18.
Supplies for
making rubbings (but see next section).
19.
Soft bristle
brush (nylon, never wire; but see next section).
20.
Travel
bag/knapsack to hold all this stuff in.
When's the
best time to visit a cemetery?
Spring or Fall. It is easier to avoid: Tripping
Hazards, Snakes, Poison ivy, Poison sumac, and Poison oak If you are looking
for a small family cemetery, in summer crops can block the view:
How should I
record the info I find in a cemetery?
You can always go old school and write everything in a notebook or use a cell
phone or tablet. A digital camera with lots of memory is a great option. You
should ask before making a rubbing or using a bristle brush or cleaning agent
on a gravestone! And please no shaving cream or chalk on gravestones  ever!!
Cleaning a gravestone covered with moss or lichen is a bad idea  the moss or
lichen might be all that is holding it together!
What if the
lighting is bad  too cloudy or too sunny?
Too cloudy  a pocket mirror can shed a little light on the subject. Too sunny Â
bring an umbrella and your photos will be made in the shade
What if a
grave is not marked?
You can often spot sunken graves. Be sure and check nearby graves, to see if
names sound familiar (or you know them to be relatives). One or more occupants
of a sunken grave could be your ancestor!
A metal rod can be used to check for sunken graves  but check state law before
doing so!
Caskets (wooden ones especially) have been known to decompose. Note: How
quickly does a wooden coffin decompose? Well, that depends on a number of
factors:
1.
Type of wood
2.
Type of soil
3.
Local climate
4.
Depth of area
water table
5.
Local insect
population
AND, a major factor to be sure:
6.
Is it in a vault,
or buried directly in the ground?
How do I stay safe in a cemetery?
The good news  zombies will likely NOT be a problem. That said, you do need to
remain alert, however Â
1.
Always bring a
friend/relative  they can help with your research, and there is some safety in
numbers.
2.
Do your exploring
in broad daylight Âeasier to see potholes, insect and animal pests, and any
two-legged vermin that might inhabit the cemetery. Many cemeteries close after
dark, anyway.
3.
Your cell phone
is not just for taking photos  it can also be used to call for help if you are
injured/accosted.
4.
Bring a whistle Â
you can use it to signal for help if injured/accosted, and its sound will
likely travel farther than your voice would anyway.
5.
Your pocket mirror
(you brought one, right?) can also be used to signal for help.
6.
Bring a
long-sleeved shirt and boots in case cemetery is poorly maintained  they can
save you from insect and snakebites, and from contact with poison ivy and other
such unfriendly plants. The long-sleeved shirt can also prevent painful
sunburn, as can your hat or cap and a bandana.
7.
If you develop a
"bad vibe" about a situation, get back in your car, roll up the
windows, and lock your doors. It's better to overreact and be embarrassed than
it is to under react  and be dead.
Grave Markers
The first grave markers were literally stones or boulders that were used to
keep the dead from rising from their graves. Stones could also protect the
corpse from scavengers.
As time went on, survivors began to mark the graves of the dead with a reminder
about the person who was buried there. Many of these markers were made from
wood or soft stones, and did not last long when exposed to the elements.
Early monuments and gravestones in Europe and old New England were often
crudely carved with frightening motifs like winged skulls, skeletons, and
angels of death.
Gravestones/headstones/markers can be made from many different materials:
1.
Brick
2.
Bronze
3.
Cast Iron
4.
Ceramic
5.
Concrete (also
improperly called "Cement")
6.
Field Stone
(fieldstone)
7.
Granite
8.
Limestone
9.
Marble
10.
Native Stone
11.
Sandstone
12.
Soapstone
Grave markers can take many shapes:
1.
Rounded top
2.
Column
3.
Cross
4.
Monolith
5.
Monument
6.
Obelisk
7.
Pillar
8.
Pyramid
9.
Star of David
Gravestones/headstones can take several
forms:
1.
Head Stone
(headstone) or Tomb Stone (tombstone)
2.
Foot Stone
(footstone)
3.
Ledger Stone
4.
Table Stone
5.
Plinth (actually
the base for a column, tomb, or grave marker)
Cemetery iconography can be:
1.
Religious
2.
Symbolic
3.
Family coat of
arms
4.
Related to a
profession or a hobby
5.
Fraternal/social
6.
Military
7.
Off the wall
Gravestone Symbols and Carvings  Meaning and
Inspiration can be found at Stoneletters.com
Military Headstones
Military headstones have a very recognizable shape. Usually the government
furnished markers for a certain war all have the same
shape. Confederate headstones are pointed to "keep Yankees from sitting on
them!"
What Should
I Know About Cemetery Laws?
Cemetery laws differ to some degree in every state.
Missouri
Cemetery Laws
1.
Cemetery operators
are required to maintain records of burials. However (and this is a very big
however), this requirement does not apply to private or family cemeteries
(although it should).
2.
Cemetery
operators are required to provide "reasonable assistance" to "family
or other interested persons" in locating burials. The law does not state
whether fees are allowed for doing so.
3.
Individuals have
a right to reasonable visitation of cemeteries surrounded by private land,
which right is enforceable by the sheriff or other local law enforcement
officer.
4.
Removal,
mutilation, disturbance, or vandalism of burial sites, human remains,
tombstones, monuments, fences, etc., is specifically prohibited and criminal
penalties are provided.
Site with more info on Missouri cemetery
laws: Missouri Cemeteries: Laws, General Information and Notes
Illinois
Cemetery Laws
1.
Owners of
private/abandoned cemeteries are not required by law to maintain them or
provide access to them, unless an easement is part of the property deed.
2.
In the case of
land development, the owner can be required to bear the cost of
maintaining/relocating a neglected/abandoned cemetery.
3.
You cannot
clean/repair gravestones or probe for sunken grave markers without a permit
from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agent. You will not be granted a permit
if you cannot demonstrate that you have received proper training in these
activities.
4.
A county or
township may choose to provide funds to restore a neglected/abandoned cemetery
to "maintainable condition."
The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency has a
Cemetery FAQ site
Some Websites of Potential Interest
Mr. Pearson had a handout that listed internet addresses for all the sites mentioned above. If you
send an email to Tom at tpearson@slpl.org,
he will send you an electronic version of that handout, with active links to
those websites.
This presentation was very well received and
several questions were asked.