Thursday, April 15, 2021

Researching Your Ancestry Using Burial Records




It's been some time since I've posted a blog. I'm doing a lot of microblogging on FaceBook, Twitter, and Instagram. Anyway, I've recently started researching my ancestry again. Every other week I meet with other like-minded individuals that are also seeking genealogy records. (Note: Meetings are virtual on Zoom during the Covid-19 Pandemic)

The Stones Speak is a 3-video series about gravestones. Part 1 explains gravestone construction and ornamentation in America as it varies with the time period. Did you know a stone has 3 parts called shoulders, tablet, and timpanum? 17th century, Puritan gravestones reflected a bleak outlook with a death head and wings. As time passed, embellishments and symbols increased along with the stacking and size of grave markers.

Mid 18th century symbols of an urn meant the soul is everlasting and with God. The willow tree conveying eternal weeping and grief was used.


Part 2 goes into burial records and information obtained from those sources like military, probate, and funeral records.


If you have an interest in cemeteries, watching this series will help you with your research.

https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/rtc2021/session/the-stones-speak-part-1-understanding-gravestones