{"id":99601,"date":"2024-07-15T12:56:44","date_gmt":"2024-07-15T16:56:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=99601"},"modified":"2024-11-19T09:13:02","modified_gmt":"2024-11-19T14:13:02","slug":"genealogy-tips-3-reasons-you-cant-find-your-ancestors-grave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/genealogy-tips-3-reasons-you-cant-find-your-ancestors-grave.html","title":{"rendered":"Genealogy Tips: 3 Reasons You Can\u2019t Find Your Ancestor\u2019s Grave"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article, Gena Philibert-Ortega gives search tips and possible reasons for why you can\u2019t find your ancestor\u2019s grave. Gena is a genealogist and author of the book \u201cFrom the Family Kitchen.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

When we start researching an ancestor, we start with the end. In genealogy, we start with the latest event and work backward in time. The latest event, death, we assume should be in a local cemetery in a marked grave, leaving behind records including obituaries and death certificates. But in the case of the cemetery and grave marker, it\u2019s possible that nothing may be found. There are various reasons why you may not find an ancestor\u2019s grave. The following three are just a few reasons to consider as you research.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: broken gravestone, Der Stadt Friedhof Cemetery, Fredericksburg, Texas. Credit: Gena Philibert-Ortega.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

#1: Not All Cemeteries Include Everyone<\/strong><\/p>\n

One resource you may consult when searching for an ancestor\u2019s burial is a transcription or index of the local cemetery, either online or in print. When the ancestor\u2019s name doesn\u2019t appear in a burial list you might assume they were buried far away from home, not in the local cemetery. That\u2019s a possibility but it\u2019s also important to keep in mind the history of that cemetery and the types of cemeteries in that area.<\/p>\n

Some cemeteries are for specific groups. For example, a National Cemetery is for veterans and their dependents, spouses and underage children. There could be an exception to this rule, such as one I went to that started out as a family cemetery before it evolved to be a military cemetery, but in general you will only find veterans and their dependent family members in military cemeteries.<\/p>\n

Historically cemeteries were exclusionary and segregated. Cemeteries reflect what was happening in the \u201cliving\u201d world at the time. Ethnic and racial groups were not always buried with whites, for example. If they were buried in the same cemetery, they may have been placed in a segregated area of the cemetery. That\u2019s why there can be several cemeteries in an area, some that were specifically for racial or ethnic groups such as African Americans or the Chinese.<\/p>\n

Here’s an article about the century-old Auburn Chinese Cemetery.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, California), 24 June 1988, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Because history matters, make sure to research what cemeteries existed in that area during the time of your ancestor\u2019s death. Local histories and historical newspaper articles can help with that.<\/p>\n

#2: Not Everyone Is Buried<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are circumstances where someone is not buried. A more present-day example is those who are cremated and their ashes scattered in a forest or ocean. There may be no extant records documenting this. It might just be something the family knows or remembers.<\/p>\n

Cremation is not just a recent phenomenon. The first cremation in the United States was in 1876. By 1887, Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Cincinnati, Ohio; Los Angeles, California; Buffalo, New York; and Detroit, Michigan, had crematories. You can read more about this history in my GenealogyBank Blog article on the topic: Was Your Ancestor Buried? A Short History of Cremation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Other than cremation, a person may not be buried due to the circumstances of their death. For example, when I was researching my book Cemeteries of the Eastern Sierra<\/em>, I came across a newspaper article about a German immigrant couple, Conrad and Anna Rettenbacher, who settled in California in the 1930s.<\/p>\n

They went missing while on a hike in the Mammoth Lake area in August 1934 with their hiking club. During the rescue effort their bodies were found 600 feet down a mountain. Because of the dangerous conditions, the decision was made to bury their bodies where they were found.*<\/p>\n

The Rettenbacher\u2019s situation is an example of what happens with those whose deaths make the body unretrievable, including hiking, swimming, military battles (such as the sinking of a ship in the ocean), and other similar incidents. Knowing the circumstances around an ancestor\u2019s death can make it easier to determine where and if they were buried in a traditional cemetery.<\/p>\n

#3: Not Everyone Has a Grave Marker (or One That Is Readable)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Finally, let\u2019s consider why not everyone has a grave marker. While we expect to find our ancestors buried in a cemetery with a readable grave marker, this is not always the case. There are a few reasons for this, including:<\/p>\n