Stirpes June 2025

The death of an ancestor often leaves behind a paper trail—obituaries, death certificates, funeral cards, tombstone inscriptions, and more. Each record helps genealogists document that final footprint. Yet these essential sources can be elusive or difficult to interpret. This issue of Stirpes explores the many ways death is recorded and remembered, offering insight, tools, and strategies to help you uncover that last vital clue to the next generation.

 

Focus on Final Footsteps

  • “Material Culture of Death” by Gena Philibert-Ortega
  • “Finding the Final Resting Place in Online Databases and Print Resources” and “Finding Death Record Resources using AI” by Susan E. Ball
  • “Laid to Rest: Church Death and Burial Records” by Nancy Gilbride Casey
  • “Unlocking the Past: A Genealogist’s Guide for Researching Military Death Records” by LCDR Dale R. Spaulding, USN (Ret.)
  • “Newspaper Obituaries: Death Dates and Stories of Our Ancestors” by Emily Coffman Richardson
  • “Mysteries Solved! Case Studies in Cracking Death and Burial Puzzles” by Nancy Gilbride Casey
  • “Adding GPS Coordinates to Find a Grave Memorials” and “Damage-free Tombstone Rubbing” by Jim Thornhill
  • “Caring for Cemetery Headstones: A Gentle Approach” by Samantha Barnes
  • Two case studies showcase the power of persistent research. “The First Burial in Dallas, Texas, was Lucy (Gibbs) Young” by Shirley Langdon Wilcox and “A Teacher’s Token: Clues to Cousins Buried and Nearly Forgotten” by Bernard Meisner

Emphasis on TxSGS:

  • 2025 TxSGS Family History Conference, November 7-8, 2025
  • “Volunteer Spotlight”
  • “Partner Society Roundup”

Other

  • Book Review by William D. “Bill” Buckner: Beneath Sacred Ground: The Mission San Antonio de Valero Burial Records Transcribed, Translated and Annotated by Art Martinez de Vara

Looking Ahead …

Stirpes’ September issue focuses on “Skill Building” with tips and tools for taking your research to the next level.

Accessing Your Digital Stirpes

If you are a member, login to your member account and select “Stirpes June 2025” from the dropdown box on the right to access the latest issue. If you are not a member, make sure you get the next issue of Stirpes – join TxSGS today to ensure that you receive the June 2025 issue as soon as it comes off the press.

Interested in purchasing a copy of the current issue or back issues? Back issues may be purchased by contacting the Director of Membership at membership@txsgs.org.

 

The TxSGS DNA Project