Follow Us On Twitter
“Jesus Christ is the firstborn from the dead; glory and kingship be His for ever and ever.” Revelation 1:5
Historian's Corner
Kelly Grimaldi, Historian, Albany Diocesan Cemeteries
Cemetery enthusiasts like me are a growing population of people who understand and appreciate the historical significance of old burial grounds. We are sometimes referred to as odd or morbid people far too interested in “grave” matters, but enthusiasts know our love of cemeteries includes an interest in art, symbolism, the study of history and genealogy. The movement towards a greater understanding of burial grounds and gravestones began approximately sixty years ago. Dr. Ernest J. Caufield, a pediatrician and researcher active in the 1950s, is among the first to treat old gravestones as documents useful to the collection of data. His survey of thousands of 18th and 19th century gravestones provided the medical community with information pertaining to infant mortality, childhood epidemics and patterns of migration that impacted the spread of infectious disease. Dr. Caufield drew attention to the significance of gravestones as historical documents from a medical research and statistical analysis perspective but then became fascinated by the gravestones themselves as works of art. He expanded his research to include the history of prominent stone carvers and trends in iconography and monument style which led to a whole new area of study – gravestone studies - that has steadily increased in popularity among scholars and the general public alike.
Memorials to the departed were not intended to be studied as objects of art and symbolism nor were epitaphs meant to convey changing attitudes towards death, but now that they are, it is a trend that bodes well for their preservation prospects. Public awareness of cemeteries from the most obscure little graveyards to the largest Victorian Era rural cemeteries is becoming more and more widespread. In addition to early pioneers of gravestone studies like Dr. Caufield, we have the tremendous influx of amateur genealogists to thank for drawing attention to the importance of preserving our stone documents. Inscriptions in stone reveal important genealogical information that may have not survived in any paper record. They must be photographed and recorded before we lose them to weather related damage, theft or vandals. As the historian for several 19th century rural cemeteries, I know first-hand the frustrations of genealogists unable to locate burial records. Recordkeeping was naturally inconsistent in the days when everything was handwritten and filed manually by an ever changing staff over many, many years. In short, there was much room for error and loss. We now face the task of reconstructing what we have into an accessible and searchable format. That includes information inscribed in stone. It is a daunting task, but to do nothing is to risk losing everything down the road.
It is here that I call upon the many cemetery enthusiasts and genealogists I know are out there to join me in saving as many gravestones as we can. I would like to start with St. Mary’s Cemetery in Troy because it is among the oldest rural cemeteries founded in Rensselaer County and its historic marble gravestones provide a wealth of genealogical information and are also decorated with beautifully carved symbolism that reflects the sentiment of a bygone era. I need to carefully remove sod from the stones, clean them in accordance with best practices recommended by gravestone conservationists and record their inscriptions. From there they will be assessed for further conservation efforts i.e. resetting them upright and fixing cracked or broken stones. The goal is to digitize and archive the information and make it available to researchers as well as improve the condition of the stones and the overall appearance of the cemetery. I would like to put together a planning committee to meet before the end of the year. If you would like to help with this project please call or email me and we can take the first step towards saving our old gravestones one at a time. I can be reached at 463-0134 Ext. 110 or via email: KellyAnn.Grimaldi@rcda.org.
Past Historian Articles:Current
4-9-2012
4-2-2012
12-2011
10-2011
9-2011
2-2011
1-2011
6-2010
Artwork by Joe Mele.
HOME . CEMETERIES . CHOICES . GENERAL INFORMATION . PRE-ARRANGEMENTS
BRONZE MEMORIALS . CREMATION . PRAY FOR THE DEAD . GREEN ALTERNATIVE . FUNERAL GUIDELINES
SUPPORT GROUPS . MEMORIAL MASSES . HISTORIAN'S CORNER . CONTACT US
Copyright 2010, by Albany Diocesan Cemeteries
Albany Diocesan Cemeteries
48 Cemetery Ave., Menands, NY 12204
Phone: 518-432-4953
Fax: 518-427-8035
info@rcdacemeteries.org
 |
Website Design & Website Hosting by Groupiehead Concepts, Albany NY |
 |