| Materials for Genealogy Research in the Cemetery | |
A variety of products and techniques can be used to enhance the legibility of difficult-to-read stones. Be sure and take into account what the stones are made of. Some are made of marble, some native rock, slate, stone slabs, and a variety of other materials. You can use white flour, cornstarch or baby powder. Rub into the stone or paint with a paintbrush. You might prefer blue carpenters chalk or shaving cream. Be sure and bring water to wash the stones afterwards. Clorox in a garden sprayer can be used on old white marble stones to bleach out the dirt; wash and rinse thoroughly after cleaning. Bring a nylon brush or whisk broom for wiping the lettering. You can use a mirror to cast a shadow on a stone in order to read in bright sunlight. Chalk used sideways will not color in the letters and will wash off easily. You can also use thin paper placed on the stone and rubbed with colored chalk to make a rubbing of the stone. In a pinch, wipe dirt or grass on the stones to see if they are more legible.
Remember to verify the information that you find on the headstones. Just because it's "engraved in stone" doesn't mean that it is accurate or true. Some dates are written wrong and names are misspelled. Some people are even buried in the wrong grave! Verify, verify, verify. Enjoy your time in the cemetery, gather your ancestors information, and be sure and leave the headstones in as good as or better than the condition that you found them.
Related Sites
Genealogy
Resources for researching genealogy and history in Alabama, the
South, the Civil War, and in general.
Heavenly
Home
National index of funeral homes and cemeteries.
Huntsville Roots
Digging up your Southern Roots in Madison County is a breeze with
the Heritage Room and Maple Hill Cemetery resources.
Maple Hill Cemetery
The oldest and largest cemetery in the state is also one
of the most frequently visited spots for tourists and residents
alike.
Obituary Central
Find thousands of obituaries; scan cemetery inscriptions, find the
meanings of carvings on tombstones, and find a grave.
The Sins of Madison County
A local book exposes the horrendous acts of lynchings in
Madison County between 1878-1904, when nine people were hung,
including one white man and two black women.
The Man Behind Old Huntsville Magazine
Tom Carney and his wife started Old Huntsville magazine
as a joke on their neighbors. It has turned into a local icon and
affected a lot of people in Huntsville.
