Cemetery record research is a important step in researching ones ancestors. There is nothing like the feeling when you discover a long lost ancestor after walking around a cemetery. You get a real connection with those in your family that have gone before.
Cemeteries come in three forms. They are the church burial yard, public cemeteries and family burial plots. If you are fortunate to have a person buried in a church cemetery the church will often have the records for the burial. This information is similar to a death certificate, but will often include more information. Public cemeteries also have burial records and these are often stored at the local sexton's office or with the township. Family burial plots are often not as well covered, but some records are kept with the township.
The Ottawa County area is blessed with may of the tombstones be documented through inscription. These records are located at the Ida Rupp Public Library in Port Clinton, OH. This helps in locating the cemetery and the area that a person is buried.
A note on rubbings of the stones. This practice is frowned on by most people in the genealogy field. The exposure to weather has resulted in many stones be difficult to read. Rubbings only help in more destruction to the surface of the stone. Use common sense when you are in the cemetery.
Tomorrow I will cover wills.
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