Things to Keep in Mind

• It is not always possible to find a cemetery. Many have been moved, a headstone was never erected or if one was, it may have been destroyed.
• Not all family members may be buried in the same cemetery. Check around the area for other cemeteries.
• Tombstones can contain errors made either by the person who carved the tombstone or by the person who gave the information..
• Tombstone inscriptions over time can be difficult to read depending on the script used.

Below is a typical pioneer cemetery in a western state. Notice the vandalism, as well as new tombstones erected years after the fact (behind the old tombstone in front).

It is also very important to be courteous in a cemetery. There might be someone nearby who has recently lost someone and who has come there to mourn. Speak softly, don’t walk on the graves, but walk around them, and remove any trash you might bring with you. Be aware of your surroundings.

Here is a little checklist of items to bring with you as you visit a cemetery:

• Bug repellent
• Gloves
• Bottled water
• Plastic brush
• Digital camera
• Notepad and pencil

Be careful of snakes or other critters found in long grass at inactive or any cemetery. It is a good idea to wear shoes and socks, long slacks and perhaps bring with you gloves to pull aside weeds in order to photograph all the words on a tombstone. Even in hot areas, it is a good idea to bring a long-sleeve shirt or bug repellent to ward off mosquitoes or other insects that might be found in the grass once it is disturbed.

Sometimes you cannot read a word or letter with the position of the sun. Yet, if you take a digital camera and set it at different settings either with more or less light, I have found the images better than the original viewing of the tombstone.

Below is an image taken about twelve years ago with a Polaroid camera that was then written on in ink. Those coordinates match a map that shows where the earliest pioneers were buried who did not have tombstones, or their tombstones were lost.

Sometimes tombstones have moss growing on them, or mud has caked letters or words. By taking a plastic scrub brush (like a finger nail brush) and lightly brushing off the moss and dirt, it has helped me to read the writing better. I usually travel with bottled water that has been used on occasion to clean a tombstone.

Once you find the tombstone you are seeking, take pictures of the surrounding area so you can describe this place to others. Perhaps record the names of other prominent tombstones nearby, the road you took to get there, and perhaps take a panoramic picture of the surroundings.

I made up a couple of forms in WordPerfect that made it easier to record information. Maybe you would like them as a sample.