Maine, Nathan Hale Cemetery Collection - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
These records include transcripts of headstones from various Maine cemeteries for the years 1780-1980. They also include series 1 and 2.

Record Content
The records may contain any of the following;
 * Name of deceased
 * Birth date
 * Birth place
 * Death date
 * Death place
 * Age
 * Military service
 * Name and location of cemetery
 * Names of others buried in the same lot and their relationships, birth dates, death dates and ages
 * Organization that created the record

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know
 * Name of the deceased
 * Other identifying information such as birth or death dates

Search the Collection
To search the collection image by image. ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the appropriate "Surname Range" which takes you to the images. Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor.

As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor’s given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence and age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.


 * If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.
 * Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

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.
 * The cemetery these records are from still exists today. Family members of those found in the records who died after the records were written may also be interred in this cemetery. Mesa Cemetery maintains a website with additional information on those later burials.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

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

Related Websites
Maine Cemetery Records

Related Wiki Articles

 * Maine
 * Maine Cemeteries

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. 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.

Citation for This Collection
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.