Review: The Family Tree Cemetery Field Guide by Joy Neighbors

The Family Tree Cemetery Field Guide: How to Find, Record & Preserve Your Ancestors’ Graves by Joy Neighbors, Family Tree Books,  2017, 239 p. 

            As someone who enjoys strolling through historic graveyards and reading gravestone inscriptions, I’ve never understood the squeamishness of some when it comes to cemeteries. Yes, graveyards are “repositories for the dead,” as author Joy Neighbors describes them, but more importantly they are “a place to memorialize, visit and remember” our ancestors. Genealogists understand this, and can appreciate such repositories for their historical and cultural importance. This definitive guide was written for “tombstone tourists” searching for departed family members in these resting places, in an attempt to better understand their ancestors’ lives.

            The author has divided this comprehensive guidebook into four parts. The first section, “Planning Your Trip to the Cemetery,” takes a look at the history and cultural significance of cemeteries, various types of cemeteries, burial customs and practices. Neighbors also examines the various types of records that are generated around a burial, including permits, deeds, plot records, maps, sexton’s records and cemetery ledgers. This section concludes with an in-depth look at online tools such as BillionGraves and Find-a-Grave, that can help genealogists find the location of a gravesite before even stepping onto the cemetery grounds. Missing, unfortunately, are non-US-based cemetery transcription and photo projects such as CanadianHeadstones.com and GravestonePhotos.com. A checklist of useful items to take on a cemetery trip is also included.

            The second section, “Researching on Hallowed Ground,” provides research strategies for having a successful cemetery outing and gives instructions on how to safely enhance the readability of hard-to-read stones.  The author also discusses how to interpret inscriptions, read old script and how to take digital photographs that capture even the most weathered inscriptions. A particularly helpful chapter, “Headstone Iconography Guide,” provides a listing of symbols and abbreviations that sometimes appear on gravestones along with their meanings.

            “Part 3: Making Sense of Your Research,” concerns itself with organizing, analyzing and sharing the information obtained at the cemetery and records office.  Neighbors also provides suggestions for building upon the information found at the cemetery. She gives examples, through case studies, to show how cemetery records can be built upon to create a more complete life history of your ancestor. The importance of sharing the findings is also emphasized. A description of several tombstone transcription projects and websites are included that provide an opportunity for uploading cemetery data for the benefit of other researchers.

            “Digging Deeper,” the fourth and final section of the guide deals with other records, not found at the cemetery, but that pertain to records surrounding death, such as death certificates, obituaries, probate records, funeral home records, coroner’s reports, and other genealogy records. This helpful guide also discusses the need for cemetery restoration and preservation projects to ensure that these very important places remain for future generations.