Georgia Cemetery Records Research Guide
Georgia cemetery records can help you get started if you want to research your family history and you have ancestors from Georgia.
You can get a lot of information from Georgia cemetery records, and as you know, the more information you have in your family tree, the more complete and accurate it is going to be and the more interesting it is going to be for future generations to read.
You can use Georgia cemetery records as a starting point for your research, and you will find that they can lead you to a lot more than you ever expected.
For Definitions of all Cemetery Terms See Symbols on Gravestones and Their Interpretations.
Facts for Getting Started
One of the things that puts most people off about doing a family tree is that it seems like a lot of work. While it is true that there is a lot of work involved, it is not hard work.
In fact, when you have Georgia cemetery records and other documents, you will find that it is more interesting than anything else, and you will consider the work a labor of love.
Of course, the first thing you need to do is figure out how to get started. You need to set up a plan of attack, so to speak. Here are some tips to get you started:
- Try to work out what information you already have, and what you need. You may already know about some of your ancestors, and some older relatives can also provide you with information that you may not be able to get from Georgia cemetery records.
- Learn and understand how to get the information you need. If you need to learn about Georgia ancestors who have passed on, you can find out much of what you need to know from Georgia cemetery records.
- Organize all of your information. You will probably end up with your own specific filing system, one that includes all of the information you get from Georgia cemetery records.
If you are working on your family tree, and you have ancestors from the Georgia area, you can use Georgia cemetery records to learn more about them.
You will find such information as how and when they died, where they died, and even the names of their spouses, next of kin, and possibly even parents and siblings.
Research In Georgia Cemetery Records
Many volumes of Georgia cemetery records have been published by various agencies, including the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
However, there is no statewide organized collection of those records. DAR records include probate records, court records, Bible records, and inscriptions from various cemeteries across the state.
The FHL, DAR Library, and Georgia Archives should all be consulted for information on tombstone inscriptions and cemeteries across the state.
Other collections may be found in private libraries as well.
Famous People Buried in Georgia Cemeteries
| County | Name / Date / Cemetery | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Carroll | Hayward, Susan 6/30/1917 - 3/14/1975 Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cemetery | Actress. She is best remembered for her roles in the movies "I'll Cry Tomorrow" (1955) and "I Want to Live!" (1958). |
| Chatham | Greene, Nathanael 8/7/1742 - 6/19/1786 Colonial Park Cemetery | Revolutionary War Continental Army Major General. |
| Chatham | Mercer, Johnny Herndon 11/18/1909 - 6/25/1976 Bonaventure Cemetery | Composer and lyriciSt. He wrote over 1,100 songs. |
| Cobb | Ramsey, JonBenét Patricia 8/6/1990 - 12/25/1996 Saint James Episcopal Cemetery | Murder Victim. She was a 6-year-old Little Miss beauty pageant winner who was murdered in her home on Christmas day 1996, in one of the most high-profile child homicides in recent history. |
| Cobb | Wisconsin Monument - Marietta National Cemetery | This monument, dedicated on May 31, 1925, commemorates and honors the 405 men from 21 Wisconsin units interred in the cemetery who died in the battles in Georgia during the Civil War. The monument is topped with a likeness of the badger, the Wisconsin state symbol |
| Franklin | Cobb, Ty 12/18/1886 - 7/17/1961 Rose Hill Cemetery | Hall of Fame Major League Baseball Player. Ranks as one of Baseball's greatest players, if not the game's fiercest competitor. |
| Fulton | King Jr. , Dr. Martin Luther 1/15/1929 - 4/4/1968 Martin Luther King, Jr. Center | Minister, Civil Rights Activist, Author. Recipient of the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize for his work for racial equality in the U. |
| Fulton | King, Coretta Scott 4/27/1927 - 1/30/2006 Martin Luther King, Jr. Center | Social Reformer. Born near Marion, Alabama, she was studying voice at the New England Conservatory of Music for a planned singing career when she met Martin Luther King. |
| Fulton | Mitchell, Margaret Munnerlyn 11/8/1900 - 8/16/1949 Oakland Cemetery | Author. She is well known for writing the popular work "Gone with the Wind". |
| Jones | Redding Jr. , Otis 9/9/1941 - 12/10/1967 The Big O Ranch (Family Estate) | One of the most popular and critically acclaimed soul vocalist, songwriter and musician representatives of the R&B style known as Southern soul. Legendary musician Otis Redding (known as the "King of the Soul Singers") is generally regarded as the single most influential male soul artist of the 1960s. |
| Sumter | Carter, Eleanor Rosalynn - 8/18/1927 Jimmy Carter National Historic Site | Presidential First Lady. Born Rosalynn Smith, she married future President James Earl 'Jimmy' Carter in 1946. She served as the United States First Lady from January 20, 1977 to January 20, 1981. |
Georgia Cemeteries
| Cemetery Name | Cemetery City |
|---|---|
| Jackson Street Cemetery | Athens |
| Oconee Hill Cemetery | Athens |
| Lincoln Cemetery | Atlanta |
| Oakland Cemetery | Atlanta |
| South-View Cemetery | Atlanta |
| Westview Cemetery | Atlanta |
| Forest Lawn Cemetery | College Park - Whitman Mayo |
| Patrick R. Cleburne Confederate Cemetery | Jonesboro |
| Rose Hill Cemetery | Macon |
| St. James Episcopal Cemetery | Marietta |
| Ebenezer Cemetery | N/A |
| Bonaventure Cemetery | Savannah |
Georgia Cemeteries & Graveyards Links
- Web: Georgia, Find A Grave Index, 1788-2011
- North-Central Georgia Cemeteries
- Find a Grave – Georgia Cemeteries
- The Georgia Political Graveyard
- Georgia Cemetery Books
