Gravestone Lectures

Cemetery Research for Your New England Ancestors

Locating the gravestones of your New England ancestors can help propel your genealogical research. You may find new information on the gravestones or discover unknown ancestors buried nearby. Researching gravestones in New England can be a little different than other parts of the United States. This talk will help you get the most of your New England cemetery research.

New Clues from Old Headstones: Using gravestones to find unexpected sources

How many times have you transcribed a gravestone and then moved on to the next one? You could be walking away from valuable other clues. Learn how to interpret a gravestone for hints that will lead you to new record sources. Just as important as the text are clues such as location, type of stone, carver, symbols and the epitaph. This talk will take you through specific examples to get the most out interpreting gravestones.

Why Genealogists Should Care about Carvers

Genealogists typically do not get involved with the academic discipline of identifying gravestone carvers. If confronted with a brick wall this could be a huge mistake. Many carvers maintained a sphere of influence carving stones for family, friends and associates. Taking the time to identify a carver may lead you to your ancestor’s place of origin and even their family. This talk examines specific examples of carvers acting as the link between family members.