Basic Genealogy Part 15: How to Get the Most from Cemetery Research

Bill Eddleman, coordinator of the State Historical Society of Missouri Cape Girardeau Research Center, presents the next installment in his genealogy series, focused on getting the most from cemetery research. Family historians often want to locate the burial sites of their ancestors, but it is not as easy as it might seem. This presentation will give an overview of cemetery research methods, including how to locate cemeteries; the history of cemeteries in the U.S.; what to expect when visiting old cemeteries; how to use tombstone inscription information for genealogy; and how to inventory a cemetery. 

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About the Presenter

An eighth-generation Missourian, Bill Eddleman was a professor of biology at Southeast Missouri State University for 22 years and also served as provost before his retirement in 2016. Long interested in local and regional history, he was the president of the Cape County Genealogical Society for 14 years and edited the society's quarterly publication for 20 years. He started at the State Historical Society of Missouri in 2017 and serves as the coordinator of the Cape Girardeau Research Center.