New York, Cemetery Abstracts - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in the Collection?
This collection includes transcriptions from cemeteries in New York State that were compiled by the Eastern States Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1940 to 1969. Actual death dates on headstones may be much earlier. Index images are often included either at the beginning or ending of each cemetery abstracts.

What Can this Collection Tell Me?
Cemetery Abstracts may contain the following information:
 * Full name of deceased
 * Maiden name of deceased
 * Death date
 * Death place
 * Birth date
 * Estimated birth year
 * Cemetery name
 * Image number
 * Event date

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The county and/or town where your ancestor is buried
 * The name of the cemetery where ancestor is buried

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s cemetery record, carefully evaluate each piece of information about them. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors.

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Use the death or burial date to find other records that may provide more information on your ancestor. These include obituaries, grave markers, sexton’s records, or a civil or religious death records.
 * If your ancestor is found in these burial records, continue searching for other family members who may be buried in the same or nearby cemetery.
 * Use the estimated age at death or burial to calculate an approximate birth year.
 * Remember that a burial date is not always the same as a death date.
 * Sometimes a person is buried in a city or town in which they did not die. Do not assume that a burial place is the same as a death place.
 * If your ancestor had a common name be sure to evaluate all available information to determine the correct individual. This may involve comparing the data from multiple records. Note the age at death, and residence.
 * Family members were often buried near each other. Pay attention to individuals buried in the same cemetery as your ancestor—they may have been family members. Similarly, if your ancestor is buried near other relatives, it may be a clue that you have located the correct individual.

I Can't Find Who I'm Looking for, What Now?

 * If a burial record cannot be found for your ancestor in the locality where it is believed they are buried, try searching the records of nearby localities.
 * Try searching newspapers for an obituary, death notice, or notice of your ancestor’s estate to determine when your ancestor died.
 * Search cemetery transcripts for a transcript of your ancestor’s grave marker.
 * Look for probate records for the region and time period in which your ancestor supposedly died. These records may give clues about when he or she passed away.

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of California.
 * New York Guided Research
 * New York Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step New York Research, 1880-Present
 * Cemeteries
 * Sexton Records

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Sharon DeBartolo Carmack, Your Guide to Cemetery Research. Cincinnati, Ohio: Betterway Books, 2002 FS Library 973 V37c
 * Association of Municipal Historians of New York State, comp. New York State cemeteries name/location inventory, 1995-1997 3 volumes. Bowie, Maryland : Heritage Books, Inc., c1999 FS Library 974.7 V33a Part 1. Albany County-Livingston County -- Part 2. Madison County-Schuyler County -- Part 3. Seneca County-Yates County.
 * copied by missionaries and members of the Eastern States Mission, New York state cemetery records 23 volumes. Salt Lake City, Utah : Genealogical Society of Utah, 1940-1969

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * compiled by Robert J Wilson, comp. ''New York State cemetery records 3 volumes. Tonawanda, New York : R.J. Wilson, 197-?.

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.