Maryland, Philos Cemetery Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of images of sexton records and records of cemetery lot owners from the Philos Cemetery in Westernport, Maryland. These records are from the collections of the Allegany County, Maryland Genealogical Society. The collection covers the years 1914 to 1932.

Record Content
These records usually contain the following information:


 * Name of deceased
 * Death date
 * Burial dates and places

In addition, they may also list the following:


 * Age
 * Cause of death
 * Residence
 * Birth year
 * Names of children
 * Mortuary or undertaker
 * Name of purchaser of the plot
 * Location of the plot

How to Use the Record

 * The person’s name
 * The approximate burial or death date

Search the Collection
To search the collection: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the "Record Type, Volume, and Year Range" which takes you to the images.

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors. For example:


 * Use the birth date or year to search for birth records.
 * Use the birth date along with relative’s names to find the family in census records.
 * Use the locality and relative’s names to locate church and land records.
 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral records which often include the names and residences of other family members.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the deceased who may have been buried in the same cemetery or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby cemeteries.

Related Websites

 * Allegany County, Maryland Obituaries
 * Maryland Obituaries
 * Online Maryland Death Indexes and Records

Related Wiki Articles
Maryland Newspapers

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

Collection citation:

Image citation: