Cemetery Research for Family History and Genealogy

The practice of marking the final resting place of a loved one goes back thousands of years. The ancient pyramids are conceivably the greatest example, standing today as a reminder of the ancient Egyptian glorification of life after death. Roman catacombs, a subterranean burial place for early Christians, contained niches where the fully clothed bodies were placed and which were then sealed with a slab inscribed with the name of the deceased, date of death and a religious symbol. Many of the elaborate grave markers erected in the 19th and early 20th centuries were styled after the memorials of the ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian civilizations. Following the first World War, grave markers started to become smaller and less elaborate - plain crosses and simple, upright stone slabs decorated with carvings, symbols and epitaphs. Cemeteries are living lessons in history. People who buried their dead said much about themselves and the ones who had died. While not considered a primary information source, gravestones are an excellent source of dates, birthplaces, maiden names, spouses names and parents names. They can also provide evidence of military service, membership in a fraternal organization and religious affiliations. Why Visit Cemeteries? Why should you visit the cemetery if you already have a birth and death date for your ancestor? Because you never know what you may find. Nearby gravestones can lead you to other family members. Little grave markers can tell the story of children who died in infancy for whom no other records exist. Flowers left on a grave may lead you to living descendants. Other than a few records and documents and, perhaps, some family jewelry or heirlooms, your ancestors tombstone is the only physical evidence of the life they lived. There is nothing in your genealogical research that will connect you to your ancestor more than to stand in the one place on earth which contains their mortal remains and to see important pieces of their life carved into stone. It is an amazing, awe-inspiring experience. Next How to Locate a Cemetery The first step in cemetery research is the obvious one—to learn where your ancestor is buried. Death records will often contain this information, as will obituaries. Published cemetery surveys may list your ancestors. Check with family members and other relatives as well. They will often know of family burial locations or may be able to track down a mention on a mass or prayer card or in the family Bible. Funeral Home Religious Records Funeral homes and morticians can be great allies in helping you to locate cemetery records. Funeral home records may still exist which can contain a wealth of information, including the burial location. Funeral directors will have knowledge of most cemeteries in their area, and may also be able to point you to family members. If a funeral home is no longer in business, then check with other area funeral homes as they may know where the old records are located. If you know your ancestors religious affiliation you may want to try contacting the church in the area where your ancestor lived. Churches often maintain attached cemeteries and also keep records for their members who are buried elsewhere. Turn to the Locals The local genealogical or family history society is a good source for information on local cemeteries. These groups are continually working to preserve valuable cemetery information and may have compiled cemetery indexes or be able to provide clues to little known burial locations, especially family cemeteries. Old local histories can also prove useful in identifying former names and locations for cemeteries which have been moved. Cemeteries Online The Internet is fast becoming a valuable source for cemetery records as well. Many cemetery sites such as FindAGrave and BillionGraves, have online cemetery records, photos, or transcriptions, or use your favorite search engine to search for a specific cemetery. Special geographic place name search engines can also help to locate a cemetery, though the information available on the Internet varies widely by country. The U.S. Geographic Names Information Server, for example, allows you to narrow down your search by selecting cemetery as the feature type. Map Your Way to the Cemetery If you have narrowed down the area, but arent sure which cemetery may contain your ancestor, then maps, especially historical maps, can be of great assistance. Use land, tax or census records to help you pinpoint your ancestors land on a map. You will often find them buried in a nearby cemetery, or even in a family cemetery on their own property. Topographic maps or locality maps may show cemeteries, roads, houses and farms. Even little details such as elevation features can be useful as cemeteries were often erected on high ground. Next What to Take When You Visit the Cemetery When heading out to the cemetery for some tombstone research, a little advance planning can really help to make your visit a success. Best Time to Visit the Cemetery The best time to visit a cemetery is in the spring or fall - especially if it is one which is neglected and overgrown. Brush and grass will not be as high in the spring, which will help you to discern holes, rocks, snakes and other obstacles before you trip over them. Sometimes the season can have an impact on whether you even find the cemetery at all. I have located several family cemeteries in the southeastern U.S. which are situated in the middle of cornfields. Needless to say, it is nearly impossible to find such cemeteries when the corn is taller than you are! What to Bring to the Cemetery The well-dressed cemetery researcher wears long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, sturdy shoes and gloves to help ward off critters such as snakes, gnats, ticks and mosquitoes. If the cemetery is in a wooded or rural location you may also want to bring along a hoe to help cut down brush and a friend or fellow researcher for safety. Even if it is broiling hot when you visit the cemetery, the long pants and sturdy, comfortable shoes are a good idea.   Clues Beyond the Tombstones Whether the cemetery is public or private, you should do a search for existing records. Most commonly known as sextons records (a sexton is a caretaker responsible for the cemetery), these records can include burial registers, plat maps and plot records. These records will vary greatly by country and time period and may not exist, but never assume! A sign outside of the cemetery may be able to point you to its caretaker. Turn to the local phone book to contact area funeral directors or churches. Check with the area library or historical/genealogical society for tips on possible record locations. You may be surprised by what you can find. One last thing - before you visit a private cemetery, be sure to get permission from the land owner!   Plan Ahead for a Successful Cemetery Visit Dress appropriatelyBring paper, several pencils, a camera and plenty of filmConsider bringing optional items such as a digital camera, video camera, tape recorder or handheld computer.Extra batteries for anything that may need them!If you plan to do any tombstone rubbings, then be sure to bring the appropriate suppliesWater, rags and a soft nylon bristle brush for cleaning stones, plus clippers for clearing away grass and brushIf you are looking for unmarked cemeteries, you may want to bring a map so that you can mark their locations as you locate them Next Stories in Stone The highlight of any trip to the cemetery is reading the stones. Once you have taken that irresistible quick peek for your ancestors headstone, however, you should stop and plan out your route around the cemetery. Methodical might be boring, but it greatly decreases your chances of missing something important when youre searching a cemetery for clues. If the cemetery is not too large, and you have enough time, it can be very helpful to make a complete transcription of the cemetery. Even if you only make note of the names and dates on each tombstone, along with their location in the cemetery, this can save you a trip back in the future as well as help other researchers. There is a lot of information and advice available on the proper methods for transcribing tombstones. While these can serve as great reference guides, there is really no need to worry about formality. The important thing is to make a note of everything that you see. Make Your Visit Count Write down names, dates and inscriptions exactly as they appear on the stone. It is very easy to make assumptions in the excitement of the moment, and it will be very beneficial to have an accurate record as you move forward (or backward as the case may be) with your research. Be sure to sketch any symbols that you are unfamiliar with so that you can look them up later. These symbols or emblems may be valuable clues to membership in an organization which may have records about your ancestor. Make a note of the physical relationship between tombstones as well. Family members will often be buried together in the same plot. Nearby graves may belong to parents. Small unmarked stones may indicate children that died in their infancy. Neighbors and relatives may also be buried in adjoining sections. As you make your way around, be sure not to miss the back of the stones as they can also contain important information. Another good way to record cemetery information is to use a cassette recorder or video camera as you move around the cemetery. You can read off names, dates and inscriptions easily and make note of important information, such as when you start a new row. It also provides you with a backup for any written transcriptions that you have made. Pictures are worth a thousand words and are much better for tombstones than chalk or shaving cream. Use hand-held clippers to clear brush away from the stone and then use a nylon (never wire) bristle brush and plain water to clean the stone from bottom to top, rinsing well as you go. A bright sunny day and a mirror to help reflect the sunlight on the stone can really help to bring out the carvings.More: Tips for Taking Great Tombstone Photos Most important for your cemetery visit is to enjoy yourself! Visiting cemeteries is one of the most rewarding parts of genealogy research, so stop and take the time to commune with your ancestors.

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Boy Band Bash Free Essays

Remember New Edition? You know you do.. the â€Å"Mr. We will write a custom essay sample on Boy Band Bash or any similar topic only for you Order Now Telephone Man† song.. Bobby Brown and those kooky guys known as Bell Biv and DeVoe.. I know you remember the late 80’s.. 1988, 89. New Kids On The Block were like, the boy band du jour. But alas, the 90’s rolled around and heavier grunge music like Nirvana and Soundgarden, as well as a heavier, edgier rap such as Ice Cube and Snoop Doggy Dog took over the music scene.. Thus ends our tale Somewhere along the lines, while rap and RB maintained their power, rock music lost a bit of theirs, letting pop music creep back into the scene. I suppose that the Spice Girls can carry some blame for that by being the first pop group to get out there, and while there are a couple of Spice Girl clones, they aren’t as prevalent as the boy bands that followed. 1998 had unleashed a torrent of boy bands on the US, many of whom spent time in Europe to start a cult following. The following is a run down of the Boy Bands that have left Unless you’ve been living under a rock, the Orlando based group, Backstreet Boys reigned supreme as the top Boy Band in 1998. With the top selling album in 1998 behind Titanic, the Backstreet Boys have just released a new album and are planning a second world tour. The band enjoyed 4 top 10 singles in 1998, including â€Å"As Long as You Love Me†, â€Å"Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)†, â€Å"I’ll Never Break You Heart†, and â€Å"Quit Playing Games (With my Heart)†. Their world tour pulled in $10 million. The middle of 1998 brought a lawsuit between the band and Lou Pearlman. While the details of the settlement has not been released, it resulted in the dismissal of their management team, Donna Johnny Wright, with Lou Pearlman being named a partner with the Backstreet Boys for 1/6 of the action. Pearlman’s Trans-Continental Records is still in legal entanglements with the Backstreet Boys’s label, Jive/Zomba. This may or may not be one of the reasons why Trans-Continental began promoting ‘N Sync, a replica of the Backstreet Boys, more aggressively For better or for worse, the fans are happy that ‘N Sync, another Orlando based band, left their mark in 1998. With their self titled album the 22nd topselling album of the year (with 4 million albums sold since it’s release last March), and Top Ten Christmas album, the group is also enjoying the success of three top ten singles, â€Å"Tearin’ Up My Heart†, â€Å"I Want You Back†, and â€Å"(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time On You†. Their current single, â€Å"I Drive Myself Crazy†, is climbing the charts. Their success proves that there’s plenty of love (and money) to go around at the top of the music chart. Backstreet Boys and ‘N Sync’s album have switched positions in the top many times in the last months of 1998. Not to be left out, the original managers for the Spice Girls have formed another group, Five. With top selling singles, â€Å"When The Lights Go Out† and â€Å"Everybody Get Up†, the five lads from England wandered into the U. S. st October. While the reception has been warm, their success in Europe will keep them in the the limelight for an aggressive promotion Breaking away from the pre-packaged format of boy bands, 98 Degrees, like ‘N Sync, packaged themself and went in search of management. The band snuck backstage at a Boyz II Men concert and the result was a manager in the form of Paris D’Jon. With their first album behind them, 1998 had these Ohio native recording â€Å"True to Your Heart† for Disney’s Mulan. At the end of 1998, they released their second album, â€Å"98 Degrees and Rising†. The band is now embarking on their summer tour with their Top 10 single, â€Å"Because of You†, leading the way. One of the most popular boy band in the U. K. has barely made a mark in the United States. Despite a million dollar campaign last August, the group has barely touched the U. S. Billboard charts. Boyzone is one of the oldest, both in term of longevity and age of the members, of the boy bands. However, the designation may be a misnomer. All of the guys are all over 26, and one of whom has a son. The fact that they don’t quite fit into the cookie cutter mold of a boy and may be the reason they haven’t done as well in the U. S. The more likely reason, though, is that the label doesn’t quite know how to pigeonhole Boyzone into their carefully constructed While most of the current crop of boy bands have been around for several years (even if U. S. fans haven’t heard of them until now), the recording industry is preparing for the future; hoping the trend can sustain itself. The trend has so far been proven successful, Joey McIntyre and Jordon Knight, who previously where a part of New Kids On The Block, have recently became hits. Also, former Mannuedo star, Ricky Martin has rose again with his smash hit, â€Å"Livin La Vida Loca. 1999 will prove to be an interesting year, as the industry watch to see if the Meanwhile fans continue to flock to sold out shows to see their favorite members of the Backstreet Boys or ‘N Sync. Teenagers driven by hormones into their first crush, enjoy collecting pictures of their favorite members. Is this a plan to brainwash teenage girls into buying millions of CD’s, created by Lou Pearlman, king of Boy Bands? Just like how many licks it takes to get to the bottom of the Tootsie Pop, â€Å"The World May Never Know. â€Å" How to cite Boy Band Bash, Essay examples

The Development of Irish Education free essay sample

There were huge provisions and developments of education between 1965 and 1984. In 1962 a review of second-level education in the Republic was initiated by the Department of Education, in co-operation with the OECD, culminating in the publication of the report Investment in Education (1965). This report had significant consequences for the development of educational policy. It dealt with two main themes: the capacity of the educational system to meet skill requirements for economic growth, and inequalities in levels of participation. It found that the numbers of those giving up school, together with a restricted curriculum in many secondary schools, would result in a shortage in the qualified labour (particularly in relation to technical qualifications) necessary for economic development. In addition, the report dealt with considerable socio-economic and regional disparities in participation rates. Investment in Education provided the impetus for the introduction of the free education scheme in 1967. This scheme removed fees for participating secondary schools (to reduce socio-economic inequalities) and introduced a school transport scheme (to reduce regional inequalities). We will write a custom essay sample on The Development of Irish Education or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The scheme led to a significant increase in the number of enrolments in second-level schools; however, socio-economic and regional disparities persist (Lalor, 2003) In the words of Luke Gibbons (1996), this report was ‘set out to remove the school from the sacristy and place it in line with the need for greater technological change in society’. The report helped to shape the future of Irish Education and through giving greater impetus to nascent trends, contributed to an expansion of the system and to issues such as social inequality and educational effectiveness being placed on the political agenda. Overall, however, the report was part of a pragmatic rather than ideological response to the educational challenges raised by a modernising society (O’Sullivan, 1989). The report highlighted many facts including the high instance of school leavers, low rate of vocational student entering third level courses, inequality of opportunity – unfair access to secondary education and also the need for wider participation in education and for longer retention of pupils in the educational system. This is only a few highlights whereas there were four major recommendations set out by the report of the investment for education which include: 1. The use of scholarship schemes to increase participation. 2. Need for policy planning to improve education at all levels. 3. Possible amalgamation of small national schools. 4. Teachers be kept up to date with ‘new knowledge’. From this report many major developments within the Irish school system have occurred. These developments include