Arkansas, Oakland and Fraternal Historic Cemetery Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection contains images of cemetery records including burial and lot sales books and 3 x 5 index burial cards for the years 1868 to 2013.

Record Content
The Burial Books usually include the following:


 * Name of deceased
 * Race
 * Gender
 * Whether adult, child or infant
 * Burial date
 * Burial place
 * Burial permit number
 * If a pauper
 * Fees charged
 * Name of undertaker

Lot Sales usually include the following:


 * Name of purchaser
 * Amount paid
 * Lot number
 * Purchase date
 * Signatures of witnesses

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know:


 * Name of the deceased
 * Other identifying information such as race and approximate age.

Search the Collection
To search the collection ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the appropriate "Volume or record name, volume number (if given), year range, surname range" which takes you to the images

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors 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
Once you have located your ancestor’s burial record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Burial records are often brief so it can be easy confuse individuals. Compare what information is given with what you already know about your ancestor to make sure it is the correct person.

Next, look at the pieces of information given in the burial record for new information. Add any 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. You should also look for abbreviated names and nicknames.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby cemeteries.

Related Websites

 * BillionGraves page for this cemetery. All the records on this site, inscriptions of the headstones in the cemetery, will also appear in the BillionGraves Index (FamilySearch Historical Records) on FamilySearch. Burials through most of 2012 will be found in this index.

Related Wiki Articles

 * Arkansas
 * Arkansas Cemeteries

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. The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records. Collection Citation: Image Citation: