Tennessee, Madison County Cemetery Paupers Files - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of images of pauper and coffin files for 1849-1899, located in Jackson, Tennessee for the years 1849 to 1899.

Cemeteries begin keeping records as soon as they are opened. The purchase of a burial plot is a land transaction and is recorded with a deed. Cemetery records are kept as a permanent record of who was buried and usually who purchased the burial plot. The information in these records is usually reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the informant.

Record Content
The key genealogical facts of these records may include the following:


 * Name of Cemetery
 * Location of grave including Section and Lot number
 * Names of all individuals in burial plot
 * Date of death
 * Designation if grave is a veteran's grave
 * Designation whether plot is full or half

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


 * Name of the deceased
 * Identifying information such as the death date

Search the Collection
To search the collection: ⇒ Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the appropriate "County" ⇒ Select the appropriate "Record Type and Year 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
When 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 is 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 your relative’s names to find the family in census records.
 * Use the locality and relative's name to locate church and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Some of the records have ink bleed-through.
 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral and cemetery records, which often include the names and residences of other family members.
 * Compile the entries for every person with the same surname. This is especially helpful for rural areas or unusual surnames.
 * 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 with 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
Madison County Archives

Related Wiki Articles

 * Madison County, Tennessee
 * Tennessee Cemeteries

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information (often called citing 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: