Hampshire County Cemeteries: Western MA Records Guide

Q: What tools are essential for cemetery visits in Hampshire County?

Essential tools include: a notebook and pen, digital camera, Hampshire County cemetery map, soft brush for cleaning headstones, water with soft cloth, and small digging tools for uncovering buried headstones.

Hampshire County MA Cemetery Records: Massachusetts Genealogy Guide

Includes Detailed Resources for Genealogical Research

An illustrated map of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, highlighting town and city names along with boundary lines.

Click to enlarge map

Hampshire County Cemetery Overview

55+

Historic Cemeteries

Cities & Towns

1662

County Established

Five Colleges

Research Guide Contents

Understanding Cemetery Research in Hampshire County

Cemetery research in Hampshire County offers unique opportunities due to the region's academic heritage and Connecticut River Valley agricultural traditions. This comprehensive guide covers all essential aspects of genealogical research in Western Massachusetts' historic burial grounds.

About This Guide

Welcome to our detailed guide to Hampshire County, Massachusetts cemeteries. This invaluable resource provides:

55+ historical burial grounds - comprehensive listings with direct links
Sourced from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)
Coverage from small family plots to large municipal grounds

Pro Tip: While focusing on Hampshire County, genealogists may also find valuable information in our guides for neighboring Berkshire County, Hampden County, Franklin County, and Worcester County.

Hampshire County's Rich Heritage

Hampshire County, established in 1662, boasts a rich history reflected in its numerous burial sites:

Academic Heritage

Amherst and Northampton cemeteries reflect the Five Colleges consortium's scholarly families

Agricultural History

Connecticut River Valley farming communities preserve generations of agricultural families

Colonial Settlements

Many cemeteries date back to the 1600s, including sites connected to early settlements

Importance of Cemeteries in Genealogical Research

Cemeteries serve as a crucial resource for genealogical research, often holding important information like birth and death dates, family connections, and various biographical details. Headstones can provide insights into occupations, military service, membership in fraternal organizations, or even the causes of death. Additionally, cemetery records can enhance other genealogical resources, such as census data and vital records, aiding in the reconstruction of family histories and offering a fuller understanding of ancestors' lives.

Explore Thousands of Gravestone Inscriptions on Find a Grave® to enhance your research in Hampshire County cemeteries.

What Cemetery Records Can Reveal in Hampshire County:

Exact dates of birth and death
Family relationships and connections
Academic affiliations with Five Colleges consortium
Agricultural occupations in Connecticut River Valley

Challenges of Genealogical Research in Cemeteries

While cemeteries can provide valuable genealogical information, researching in these places comes with its own set of challenges, particularly in Hampshire County:

Common Research Challenges:

Historic Damage

Many colonial-era headstones have weathered badly, especially in Northampton and Amherst's oldest cemeteries.

Rural Records

Small farming community cemeteries often lack detailed records due to informal burial practices.

Hill Town Access

Remote hill town cemeteries in Cummington and Worthington can be difficult to locate and access.

Conducting Genealogical Research in Hampshire County Cemeteries

1. Planning Your Visit

Collect information about the person or family you are researching in Hampshire County
Obtain birth and death dates
Research known cemetery plot information in Hampshire County
Contact Hampshire County cemetery offices for records and visiting hours

2. Essential Tools for Cemetery Visits in Hampshire County

Documentation Tools

Notebook and pen
Digital camera or smartphone
Hampshire County cemetery map

Cleaning Supplies

Small digging tools (e.g., trowel) for uncovering buried headstones
Soft brush for cleaning headstones
Water and soft cloth for improving headstone legibility

3. Documentation Best Practices for Hampshire County Cemeteries

Record the Hampshire County cemetery's name and exact location
Note names and dates from headstones
Document any additional information (e.g., epitaphs, symbols) specific to Hampshire County
Photograph headstones and surrounding area for context
Sketch the layout of family plots in Hampshire County cemeteries

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I find a specific grave in Hampshire County?

You can locate a specific grave by using our alphabetical cemetery listings and clicking on the Find a Grave® links. This will allow you to search for individuals within each cemetery.

Are all Hampshire County cemeteries included in this guide?

Our guide is quite comprehensive, featuring 55 cemeteries, but it may not cover every burial ground in Hampshire County. We are committed to continuously updating our information.

How can I contribute information about a cemetery in Hampshire County?

Visit Find a Grave®'s contribution guide for information on how to add or update cemetery information for Hampshire County.

What tools are essential for cemetery visits in Hampshire County?

When visiting cemeteries, it's helpful to have: a notebook and pen, a digital camera or smartphone, a Hampshire County cemetery map, small digging tools (like a trowel) for uncovering buried headstones, a soft brush for cleaning headstones, and water with a soft cloth to enhance headstone legibility.

What are some best practices for documenting cemetery research?

To effectively document your cemetery research, consider these best practices: Record the Hampshire County cemetery's name and precise location, note names and dates from headstones, document any additional details (such as epitaphs and symbols), take photographs of headstones and the surrounding area for context, and sketch the layout of family plots.

What online databases are useful for researching Hampshire County cemeteries?

Two very helpful databases are the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and Find a Grave®. These resources offer details on cemetery locations and specific burial records.

Essential Research Tools for Hampshire County Cemeteries

These online databases offer valuable information about cemeteries located in and around Hampshire County. By utilizing these databases and searching with different criteria such as name, location, or date range, genealogists can effectively pinpoint potential gravesites and gather details about individuals buried in the cemetery. Two particularly helpful databases are the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and Find a Grave®.

Best Practices:

Begin with broad searches and then gradually refine your criteria
Incorporate wildcard characters (*) to accommodate spelling variations
Cross-check information with other sources to ensure accuracy
Search for additional family members who may be buried in the same cemetery

The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is a comprehensive database that catalogs place names across the United States. It provides details about the names, locations, and features of both physical and cultural landmarks, including mountains, rivers, cities, and, importantly, historical sites like cemeteries.

This database is utilized by government agencies, businesses, and individuals for a variety of applications, including land management, emergency response, and map creation. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is responsible for maintaining and updating the information in GNIS to ensure its accuracy and reliability.

Find a Grave® is a platform that offers users a virtual cemetery experience. Established in 1995 by Jim Tipton, it enables individuals to search for and locate the graves of deceased persons from across the globe.

In 2013, Ancestry.com acquired Find a Grave® from Mr. Tipton. The site boasts over 200 million grave records worldwide, complete with photographs, biographical details, and interactive maps.

Users have the option to create and manage virtual memorials for their loved ones or those they respect, allowing them to add personal messages or photos to these memorial pages. Find a Grave® is utilized by genealogists, historians, and anyone looking to connect with their ancestry or honor loved ones. The site is free to use and depends on contributions from users to keep the records current.

Additionally, the site features options like the ability to request grave photos, volunteer opportunities to take and upload gravestone photos, and a forum for discussions on cemetery research and preservation.

Genealogists find transcriptions of cemetery headstones particularly useful, especially when the original stones are missing or hard to read. These transcriptions can be an invaluable resource for research. Scholarly articles provide excellent information on this topic. For instance, a study by Stephen P. Broker from the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute, titled "Death and Dying in Puritan New England: A Study Based on Early Gravestones, Vital Records, and other Primary Sources Relating to Cape Cod, Massachusetts," offers an intriguing examination of early gravestones in Barnstable County and includes numerous transcriptions of family names.

Beyond published works, many genealogical societies and organizations have taken on the task of transcribing local cemeteries, with many of these transcriptions available online or in local archives. For example, the Cape Cod Genealogical Society provides transcriptions through its research library located in Dennis. Another valuable source for gravestone inscriptions is genealogy blogs, such as Bob Carlson's impressive "Cape Cod Gravestones." His blog features over 40,000 epitaphs.

Cemeteries typically maintain detailed records that can be incredibly useful for genealogical research. These records may consist of plot maps, the names of original owners, their addresses, and the dates of purchase, as well as burial registers that document the names and dates of individuals interred in a plot. Additionally, other documents can aid in finding gravesites and gathering biographical information. You can easily access this information by reaching out to the cemetery's business office.