Expand your Pedigree with Cemetery Evidence, Part 3

Bath Cemetery, Bath, Maine, Route 295 (between Portland and Augusta).  Notes made in the cemetery:  We walked every stone in the cemetery looking for George Briggs’ stone.  It was located on the edge of a mounded hill on the lane for that section.  The stone was a large one–the only stone in that section.  Since the plot obviously held the graves of 7 children and the mother—they were all listed on the stone, we reasoned that the plot was pretty full. Bath Maine, 27 Apr 1999.

It was as if, George Briggs, having buried his wife and 7 children between 1861 and 1865, placed the stone on the grave and left Maine forever.  Leaving all trace of his origins behind him. He never spoke of his family.  Please compare the 1870 census in New York City (Manhattan), for the only family he had left–one surviving daughter–identified as born in Bath, Maine.

Allied sources:  for burials where no stone is found–

__Stone carvers’ ledgers or card files
(See FHL film #383063 example, Reading, Berks, PA)

__Carpenters account books

__Sextons records

__Newspaper obituaries, in-column articles and ads

__Family Bibles

__Society or business memorial–with names of members

__Printed eulogies

__Local funeral directors–they always have a

Cemetery Map of the area.  And some will index maps to each cemetery showing where your ancestors and families are located. Ask local mortuaries or police stations for these maps.

Your favorite genealogist, Arlene Eakle   http://arleneeakle.com

 

 

 

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