FCGS (Fairfield County Genealogy Society)
Cemetery Committee
Chairman: Jon Davis and regularly attending Committee Members: Green Geibner and John Hollis
Mission: Identify all or as many Lost and Abandoned Graveyards in Fairfield County and
surrounding counties just outside Fairfield County (on-going activity)
- GPS coordinates
- Pictures
- Post on Find A Grave
A researcher trespassed numerious times on an elderly Pennsylvania lady's land and claimed there was
a cemetery but there was no evidence of one. The Supreme Court ruled in 2019, that you may not enter
private property where cemeteries may be located unless the property owner gives permission. If they say
no, you will have to request entrance by written permission. If you get caught without permission, you
can be prosecuted as trespassing. Most of our researchers go out of their way to do the right thing and
it is a shame when one person ruins it for everyone else.
Documents, you may need:
Letter of Intent and/or SC Cemetery Laws: Section 16-17-600
and/or Section 27-43-310
TIPS
- Remember to wear boots and take a snake poke and gloves.
- Do not use chalk on stones as much of it now contains plaster and will ruin the stone.
- You can use flour a light dust with a small dust broom, or Aluminum foil.
- Using a mirror to reflect light on stones will assist with photos of hard to read stones.
- If you move mementos or flowers to take a picture put them back.
- A stick with a nail, point out in the end can assist some in finding buried stones.
- Do not spray round up on stones, this will turn them dark and ruin the markers.
- Always check local and state hunting season dates to avoid being shot.
- Sunscreen is good.
- A ruler and paper for diagramming locations of graves.
- There are some excellent books out there for documenting cemeteries.
- When photographing keep a record of when one cemetery begins and ends.
- Be polite and invite the landowner, make sure to thank them.
If you know of this type graveyard or want to volunteer, please email
.
