Author | |
Matilda Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 17 2007 Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline Posts: 1827
|
Posted: Nov 02 2009 at 3:43pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Please move this if need be, but I am wondering if anyone knows how to find a family member's grave if you know that they are buried in the area and approximately when they passed away. I don't have exact dates but it was sometime between 1927 and 1930. I do have a name. Any ideas who to call?
__________________ Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11, 10, 9 & 5) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
Waltzing Matilda
|
Back to Top |
|
|
JodieLyn Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006 Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline Posts: 12234
|
Posted: Nov 02 2009 at 4:00pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I would think the cemetaries would have records? Probably need to contact them individually?
__________________ Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
Back to Top |
|
|
Paula in MN Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 25 2006 Location: Minnesota
Online Status: Offline Posts: 4064
|
Posted: Nov 02 2009 at 5:16pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
In Minnesota the Cemetery is listed on the death certificate. I've contacted several doing family research, and I've been very surprised at how many don't have exact location records, and you have to walk to find the grave. That's usually been with "older" graves.
__________________ Paula
A Catholic Harvest
|
Back to Top |
|
|
Matilda Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 17 2007 Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline Posts: 1827
|
Posted: Nov 02 2009 at 5:19pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I am just trying to find the cemetery first I guess. I don't know where she was buried or even the exact dates of her birth or death.
__________________ Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11, 10, 9 & 5) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
Waltzing Matilda
|
Back to Top |
|
|
Paula in MN Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 25 2006 Location: Minnesota
Online Status: Offline Posts: 4064
|
Posted: Nov 02 2009 at 5:25pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Check out this site....Texas Records and see if you can find the person listed. The information may be on the record.
__________________ Paula
A Catholic Harvest
|
Back to Top |
|
|
florasita Forum All-Star
Joined: April 06 2007 Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline Posts: 907
|
Posted: Nov 02 2009 at 5:32pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
This may sound silly but can I say first to pray about it , then see what comes. I say this because #1 I always beleive in prayer in all things . sometimes we forget this about little things in our everyday live. I also mention this because of who I am Often Our Lord places something in our heart for a reason . I had the inkling , thought , holy spirit guyiding me to somehow visit a cemetray . This is in an area my mothers extended family was from but the cemetary is Anglican not catholic so I didn't quite know the why I felt called to vist . I do love old cemetaries and thought maybe that was all that was to it yet felt something tugging at me . Maybe a deeper reason . I thought maybe my mothers great uncle and his family were buried there but seemed unlikely as the older generation were catholic . I had dh drive us there to visit . It was a horrible day , rainy super cold. I was the only one to get out of the van . I looked at the old church and then the grave yard. I could not see any of our family members graves . I gave up was cold and began to walk back to the van. Then ds8 stepped out .He needed to releave himself so as I walked him through the other end of the grave yard I'd not been to towards the lake shore I looked down .There were 4 graves ! The two parents & two of thier children ! The two sides of my mothers family had not been close for two generations . They have the well to do side and the metis very lower class side . both sides of the track so to speak .
I just had to smile and Thank Him . I know my role of being in the middle and felt so blessed to now have these two sides close to us in this special way. We now visit both cemetaries.
If I were you I'd just pray , then perhaps get out your map , go to local places like gas stations , corner stores ask about cemetaries in the area . Begin Your search visting the grave yards . Be patient .Cemetaries are beautiful prayerful places to visit anyway . It would be nice for Your children as a field trip regardless if you find the graves or not .
I would love to live beside a cemetary it is a nice place to pray the rosary too
God Bless You on Your journey
__________________
May I rise & rest with words of Gratitude on my Breath
May I have the Heart & Mind of a Child in my Depth
May I forever remember to be a Light
May Peace Love & Hope be My Sight
|
Back to Top |
|
|
Leocea Forum Pro
Joined: July 14 2007
Online Status: Offline Posts: 146
|
Posted: Nov 02 2009 at 8:58pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I love cemetaries. My grandmother, a devout Lutheran, used to religiously visit the cemetaries on holidays and birthdays, etc. Easter was the best, with her homegrown daffodils. Sigh, how I miss her.
As far as finding a grave, I have had success with this in a big way!!
My grandfather had an older sister who died before he was born. All my mother remembered was that she was young, at a funeral, and her mother pointed out the grave. I knew the name and her year of birth/death. I knew they were Methodists.
A few years ago I felt a strong urge to find the grave. I felt terrible that this little one was forgotten.
I started to call the Methodist churches, and they would look it up. I called many, many churches. Finally, I looked in my grandmother's *obituary book*, a notebook with pasted-in newspaper obits. None were that old (1918), but most listed a place of burial.
I found one from my great-great-great aunt, and it listed the cemetary.
When I called, they informed me that not only was the baby buried there, but that almost 1/3 of the cemetary is *Reserved* for my grandfather's family, to this day!! If we wanted a plot, we just had to prove our relationship to the family. Apparently, long ago, the family, Wilkinson, gave the land to the church, and in return were given a large part of the churchyard in return for the family's use. I felt so in awe of the past, as I walked among the stones. I couldn't imagine being my great-grandmother and leaving that churchyard without her baby. :-( Meanwhile her sister was having 13 children! She eventually had my grandfather, so all is well!!
So many interesting names, such as Temperance and Narcissa. There were TWO sets of twins, a generation apart, named Elizabeth and Temperance. Three Narcissas, and tons of Williams. I met the secretary, and she made a copy of the map for me. I also aquired a paper listing the stones and their inscriptions. If not for that paper, made by some wonderful person after a fire in the 70's destroyed most records, I would not have found the grave. It is no longer legible!!!
So, I would recommend calling the churches in the area and asking if they have a grave for a person by that name. It could really be that simple, and often is. If this doesn't help, ask relatives what religion they were, if not known. Then, if you know any other family members' names, look up their obituaries in the local newspaper, or online. This may lend hints to the location of the family's plot(s), or lead you to distant family members. We ended up getting together a few years ago with some of my grandfather's cousins, and they had made an enormous family tree that goes back generations. They knew tons of info on the different members.
Also, there are online cemetary databases. Cemetary.com, I *think*, is one. I would like to join the project one day, and document the graveyard electronically.
I really wish I had time to pursue more of this kind of thing, but alas, it will have to wait.
__________________ Your sister in Christ,
Leocea, wife to Ken, mom to KC 22, Caitlin 17, Malea 13, Mary Catherine 10,Elina Rose,6,Andrew,3 and Lauren Celine,1. Angels 5/05, 5/08, 2/11 and Cameron 7/26/11.
|
Back to Top |
|
|
Matilda Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 17 2007 Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline Posts: 1827
|
Posted: Nov 02 2009 at 9:29pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thank you all for your help. I wanted to update you on my search.
Paula, thank you so much! I used that link to get to another website where I found my relative on a death index. Her middle name was misspelled on the information I had so that probably contributed to the lack of results I encountered in the beginning. The death index gave me date of birth, place of residence, date of death AND date and place of burial. Unfortunately it only gave the name of the city. Leocea, I plan to call the Baptist church there tomorrow to do exactly what you described and hope that it produces results.
Florasita, I have been praying about this for years and really felt moved to continue my search in earnest this year. If God desires me to find this child's grave then I will let Him lead the way. Thank you!
__________________ Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11, 10, 9 & 5) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
Waltzing Matilda
|
Back to Top |
|
|
MaryM Board Moderator
Joined: Feb 11 2005 Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline Posts: 13104
|
Posted: Nov 03 2009 at 2:02pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Very interesting topic - I wish you good luck in your search, Charlotte, and it sounds like you are on your way to some results.
Paula, thanks for the link to the Death Indexes site - since it has a page for each state, that would be a good general resource. I've bookmarked it.
A couple sites I found in the past for finding graves - though not complete as they rely on volunteer input.
Findagrave.com
Internment.net
Other sites which I've heard are more complete but do have fees for registering/membership:
Vital Records.com
Ancestory.com
What a great story. Leocea. I really enjoyed reading about your success in finding that grave.
Like Roxie, I find cemeteries to be beautiful and prayerful places to visit. We went yesterday for All Souls Day. It was colder than usual for us, but still nice. We ended up doing our usual yearly gravestone rubbings. SInce it is the Year for Priests, this year I had everyone choose at least one priest and get a rubbing of that headstone. We are now researching to find out about each priest we picked. During the month of November we will be praying especially for these particular priests. I think is it a concrete way to focus on both the Year for Priests and the month of Holy Souls.
__________________ Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
|
Back to Top |
|
|
|
|