1. I am going to discuss with you several points about cemeteries. I will
cover:
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Basic methods for locating a cemetery
Use of online databases to locate a cemetery
Use of GPS to locate a cemetery and or a specific grave
Do’s and don’ts for reading a weathered grave stone
How photo editing software can assist in reading a grave stone
How to use online databases for grave information
• Searching for a specific person
• Adding information to the database
How to clean and maintain a grave stone
How to repair simple grave stone issues

2. There are several methods for locating cemeteries,
some of which are:
 Local maps
 Contacting local historical societies or centers
 Contacting local funeral homes
In places where the cemetery might be on private
property or in disuse, one of the best methods for
locating them is to talk to the locals. This is where
they live and they are wells of information.

3. The internet is a great source of information in
regards to cemeteries. You can search for them
in many ways. Some basic ways are:
 Google
 Findagrave.com
 Billiongraves.com

4. You can search for a cemetery just using Google
or any other internet search engine. You can
search using any number of combinations of
criteria but I have found the following the most
helpful:
 Cemetery name and place (could be town,
county, state or even country if you don’t have
anything else)
 Cemetery name and name of deceased
 Name of deceased and any vital information
you may have

5. Findagrave.com is an online database for
cemeteries, grave marker information and
memorials. It was created in 1995 and has
thousands of contributors each year adding
additional information. It is in no way
complete, but it is a good source for locating
cemeteries.

6. While billiongraves.com is similar to
findagrave.com it is also very different.
Billiongraves.com is a younger company which
is trying to build it’s database using technology
including GPS encoded images. They do not
have as large of a database as findagrave.com
but their use of new technology and their
methods of data submission, I think, will make
them a more useful database in the future.

7. The use of GPS is becoming more and more the norm
when locating cemeteries and graves. If you have the
coordinates and a GPS system you can usually find
your way there.
Findagrave.com has the option for people to include the
GPS coordinates for a cemetery or grave maker if they
have them.
In the Billiongraves.com database, all of the entries have
GPS coordinates. Billiongraves.com also has an app
that can be downloaded for free to several different
types of phones and tablets so when you are traveling
or even walking in the cemetery, you know where you
are and where you are trying to get to.
Billiongraves.com GPS tutorial:
http://billiongraves.com/contribute.php

8. Sometimes we come across a grave maker that
has been damaged by the environment or by
men and it is difficult to read. Over the years
there have been many methods used to read
these stones. Today, many of the methods we
once used are considered hazardous to the
grave stone itself.

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Flour: Even if the stone is carefully brushed some traces of
flour will still remain on the stone. When that flour comes in
contact with water it becomes tacky and traps moisture
which can accelerate the deterioration of the stone.
Shaving cream: the chemicals and greasy emollients in
shaving cream are very difficult to remove from porous
gravestones. The cream fills the pores of the stone and
cannot all be removed even after vigorous scrubbing and
several rinsing. In time this residue may damage or discolor
the grave maker.
Rubbings: While possibly the least harmful to the stone,
rubbings wear down softer stones and can cause damage
over time. Fragile stones can be broken or toppled by
rubbings. Also sometimes wax is left behind after a rubbing,
which is very hard to remove. Some cemeteries even display
signs now that read “No Rubbings Allowed”

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Mirror: You can create shadows in the indentations of
grave makers making them more readable by using a
mirror to direct sunlight diagonally across the stone.
Flashlight: In areas without direct sunlight, such as
wooded lots, you can use a flashlight instead of a
mirror. This will give you similar results.
Digital camera: Take a photo, or several, with your
digital camera. Using a photo editing software,
manipulate the picture until the inscription is readable.
Cleaner: Using a grave maker cleaner, such as D/2
Biological Solution, scrub into a lather using a soft
bristle brush. Then fill the inscription with the cleaner’s
lather to make the letters more readable. Remember to
rinse stone completely afterwards.

11. Today you can take a picture of a grave maker
with a digital camera and know right away if it
is any good. But what if you take several of
them and you still cannot make out the
inscription? Photo editing software can help us
with this problem.
There are several different programs out there
and each one has it’s pro’s and con’s. The
following is a video put out by FamilyTree
Magazine regarding how to use these
programs.

12. Searching online for a specific grave marker is
very similar to searching for a cemetery. You
can easily uses the same methods. These can
be:
 Google.com or other search engine
 Findagrave.com
 Billiongraves.com

13. You can search for a grave marker just using Google
or any other internet search engine. You can search
using any number of combinations of criteria. The
following are often successful (with these searches
try including the words grave or tombstone along
with the other information):
 Person’s name and place of death (could be town,
county, state or even country if you don’t have
anything else)
 Cemetery name and name of deceased
 Name of deceased and any vital information you
may have

14. Once you have found the grave marker you are
looking for and have taken your photos or
transcribed the inscription you can share that
information with others.
The internet is a great tool that allows for information
to be shared quickly and over the whole world.
The information you have gathered can be added
to an online database to be shared with everyone.
This can be done by adding your information into
databases, such as FamilySearch or Ancestry.
Other places to add your information would be the
cemetery and grave marker databases.

15. Aside from gathering information from grave markers,
you may also want to help the upkeep on your
ancestors resting place. Cleaning a grave marker
should not be done frequently since the scrubbing can
wear on the stone. But when you do clean it, there are
some methods to use. First of all, DON’T use:
 Bleach
 Acidic Cleaners
 Power Washers
 Wire Brushes, Metal Instruments, Abrasive Pads
These might give you clean and bright looking grave
markers today, but they are very harmful for the longterm health of the gravestone.