Messages from the Grave – Listening to Your Ancestor's Tombstone

In order to find an ancestor's tombstone, the burial ground must first be found. Tips are given on how to find the different cemeteries depending on the time period, type (church or commercial), and economic condition of the deceased. Tombstones are the last monuments to our lives on this earth. In their shape and inscribed symbols, they can speak of the lifestyle of the deceased or the attitude of death of the loved ones left behind. They are being destroyed by many factors, which make them illegible or eradicate them altogether. Abandoned and "lost" cemeteries can be found through records and natural signs. Discussion includes ways to read "illegible" stones, which may be the last time a person may hear the tombstone "speak." This webinar illustrates these techniques and shows what problems are encountered in reading a variety of markers and what might be done to overcome them. Internet sources and resources are also discussed throughout the lecture.