For instance, some cemeteries, through neglect, no longer have any stones standing or the ones that remain may be so badly worn that they are virtually unreadable. Another problem that one often encounters in neglected cemeteries is that stones often sink deep into the ground leaving only a small part of the inscription visible. Most earlier monuments were no match for years of harsh weather and even the strongest of headstones can be destroyed at the hands of shameless vandals. The stone to the right is covered with orange lichens which render it impossible to read. Turns out it was the only one in the cemetery with the lichen problem and the stone that I was searching for with the suranme of WICKS.

I scraped the lichens carefully and cleaned out the indentations so I could read the names. On the side of the stone, the other names were weather-worn and had to be covered in mud to make the inscription readable. [I had tried plain water.] Catch the example below #3. The monument looked better after I had cleaned it up a bit. Look below right #2...

Mud treatment on left. This will wash off with the first rain and is not damaging at all. With the lichens removed the stone on the right is easier to read.

Still after researching midwest area cemeteries, I have found different combinations of the following information listed on headstones; name, maiden name, middle name, name of spouse, names of children, mother, father, ages, birth date, death date, marriage date, place of birth, place of death, age at death, place of education, occupation, cause of death, poetry, religious symbols, religious affiliation, church affiliation, military status, military symbols, organization symbols, the stonecutter [monument co], relatives buried nearby, etc.

If there is a birth date but no death date on the monument, it is likely that the monument was pre-purchased, and before that person died, they may have 1) remarried and taken a different name 2) left the area and died elsewhere or 3) chose to be buried elsewhere for another reason. And even the possibility exists that they are buried in the cemetery and no one paid for the inscription to be added to the stone. Sometimes there is more than one stone for a person, especially if there is a military monument and the family wished to have a more personal stone. Often you will find additional stones around the larger stones. Some may have the inscription as simplistic as "INFANT" and no further information. There were times when poverty prevented the purchase of stones. Sometimes information can be found in the records that will tell us that a space was bought and who is buried in the plot even if no stone exists. Unfortunately, if the records were destroyed, even this information may no longer exist. At difficult times in our history, such as when an epidemic struck a community, people were buried in mass burials and often stones were not added. In the Winnebago County Poor Farm, those buried were among the poorest in the area and they received only a number marker at their place of burial. Some of the list is still intact, so at least a portion of those buried in the cemetery can be accounted for.

It is also important to note that the location of their burial is also significant since most persons were buried near where they lived and died [although there are exceptions]. It would be wise to do some research in the area, unless you know they were just en route to an area farther west when this particular family member died. More than one person in a family dying within a short time of each other may indicate an illness or epidemic that struck the area. Often you will discover children that died in infancy that you didn't know existed. Always check all sides of the monument; as other family members may be listed there. Check all stones near the area; there may be other family members that were unable to be buried in the family plot if not enough spots were available at the time of purchase. Also sisters who married may be buried nearby and since their last name would be different, it would be a good idea to jot down information on other stones in the area for future reference. If the cemetery is one that has burial records; the records may tell you who bought the plot, the cost of the funeral, the extras - such as purchasing a vault before it was required by law. The style and size of the monument may indicate its expense. And if they were placed in a mausoleum above the ground, instead of a burial plot in the ground, the expense was considerable.

Cemetery research is by no means the end of your search. It is just another piece of the puzzle - albeit, a very important piece of the puzzle. It will give you a date and an area - from there you can check the obituaries, newspaper archives, death, marriage, & birth certificates, wills and probate records, land records, etc. Interestingly, a will often states the cost of the funeral and settles the account at its reading.

If you are fairly sure someone is buried in a particular cemetery, but cannot find the headstones, it is possible the stones no longer exist. The reason could be weather, vandalism or perhaps they were not in a financial position to purchase a stone at the time of their relative's death. Do not give up hope. Your research will have to go in another direction.

If a military ornament was placed on or next to the stone, take a picture, jot down the information and check with the military department for additional information. If the person applied for a pension or was wounded, they may have a file that you can get a copy of. The information may contain height, weight, hair color, eye color, nature of illness, spouse, where born, where married, and additional information.

Additional Note: In the past, it was recommended that you apply shaving cream to a monument that was hard to read. And then squeegee the excess off. Now, cemetery experts are telling us that the chemicals in shaving cream destroy the limestone headstones. They advise using nothing more than water on the headstone to darken the stone before taking a picture or reading. Some persons use rubbings to record the information. While it will not destroy the stone, it is important to limit the amount of pressure one puts upon the stone when using the chalk or crayon. Too much pressure may cause a fragile stone to crack or break.