Virginia, Danville City Cemetery Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
These records are of various types for several cemeteries in Danville, Virginia for the years 1833 to 2006. They contain burial records, deed books, and plot books. The cemeteries included are:


 * Green Hill Cemetery
 * Grove Street Cemetery
 * Highland Burial Park
 * Leemont Cemetery
 * Mountain View Cemetery
 * Oak Hill Cemetery
 * Schoolfield Cemetery

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.

Church records and civil registration were official records and are some of the most reliable sources of information available for those who were born, married, or died in Virginia. 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.

For a list of records by cemeteries currently published in this collection, select the Browselink from the collection landing page.

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.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
Key genealogical facts found in this collection may include:


 * Name of cemetery
 * Name of deceased
 * Number and location of grave
 * Birth and death dates (usually year only)
 * Sometimes, a brief biography of deceased
 * Names of close family members such as spouse, parents, or children
 * Undertaker or mortuary

How to Use the Record
To search the collection, select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the "Cemetery Name" ⇒ Select the "Record Description" 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.

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.
 * 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.

If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, try the following:


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

Related Websites

 * Virginia Genealogy Archives
 * Virginia State Cemetery Records
 * Online Virginia Cemetery Records
 * Virginia Cemeteries at Cemetery Junction
 * Virginia Cemetery Records

Related Wiki Articles

 * Danville, Virginia
 * Pittsylvania County, Virginia
 * Virginia
 * Virginia 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.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"Virginia, Danville City Cemetery Records, 1833-2006," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org: accessed 10 May 2012), Oakhill Cemetary &gt; Cemetary records, 1971-2006 &gt; image 10 of 42, Thelma Ann Johns Barksdale, burial, 14 November 1975; citing City of Danville Public Works Department.