Jefferson County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society

Cemetery Project

The Jefferson County Chapter formed a Cemetery Committee in November of 2002. Since that time, volunteers have been donating their time to reading tombstone inscriptions, locating, cleaning, and restoring cemeteries throughout Jefferson County, Ohio. This has been a long, drawn out process. When we began we thought it would be a matter of locating a few old pioneer cemeteries and reading the tombstone inscriptions, thus providing our members and the public with a much needed source for updated tombstone data. We can not, with a clear conscience read tombstone inscriptions and leave and forget about what we have seen from the countless years of abuse, neglect, and/or vandalism. The reality of it all is that is takes funding to restore these pioneer cemeteries. Since we are a small non-profit organization, we need donations to keep the restoration portion of the cemetery project moving along. Money is needed for archival supplies and other archival materials such as epoxies, glues, cements and cleaners. These all cost money! We hope that the descendants of those buried in these old pioneer cemeteries that live out of state will feel that this is one way they can participate and aid in the preservation of these wonderful, old pioneer cemeteries.

Respectfully yours,
Flora L. VerStaten, Chair Cemetery Project

Please click here to read: "The World of the Cemetery Sexton/Caretaker".

Please click to read: Saving Jefferson County Cemeteries - One Cemetery At A Time

We are excited about offering our Tombstone Inscription Indexes FREE and also our Tombstone Inscriptions, listed individually by cemetery - as digital books (pdfs), which you can choose to print or save on your files. We realize that is it no longer cost effective to publish books on all of our discoveries. However, this doesn't mean that we won't ever publish books. In fact, we are currently gathering materials to publish a book in the near future. It just means that we are planning to use various formats to reach more researchers. We feel using this website will speed up the process of disseminating and receiving genealogical information.

The chapter hopes to continue receiving donations of genealogical materials to be added to this website and used in our chapter newsletters. Remember, this site is only as good as the members and visitors that share their sources with us! Since this website is an open invitation to all those interested in researching Jefferson County, Ohio, we invite you to share any genealogical sources you may have on this area. Consider sharing various materials such as: photos, family histories, area histories, military and veteran files, as well as various genealogical materials you feel may be of interest to those visiting this site. When sending a genealogical donation, please include a statement to release the material to be used on this website and/or the chapter newsletters. There are various formats you can send this information in and including: pdf format, acrobat reader, email attachments in word/works, or excel. Note - We have various programs to convert any files sent. The easiest format and best method for sharing genealogical data, received from you, which can be added to this website, would be by sending it in a digital form or file of some kind, NOT a hard copy through the mail. Although, we do accept hard copies as well.

Send files to:

740.346.2820
PO BOX 2367
Wintersville, OH 43953

While our chapter is very active in locating, cleaning, and restoring pioneer cemeteries throughout the county, this is not our only concern and focus, although it does take a major effort and a lot of volunteer hours. If you would like to offer assistance and/or volunteer to help with the county wide Cemetery Preservation Restoration Project, you can contact Flora L. VerStraten. Volunteers are needed in various aspects of this project such as: typists for spreadsheets in excel word/works programs, volunteers willing to physically assist with the cleanup efforts, volunteers with digital cameras willing to take photos of tombstones, tombstone inscription recorders, and of course, monetary donations. It takes money to clean and restore the various cemeteries. We need to purchase expensive archival cleaners, epoxy, sacrete, tools, gloves, and gasoline. Many local volunteers donate their own equipment and tools and the chapter provides lunch for the workers in most cases. If you have any questions about the cemetery project and how you can assist with this huge project, or you would like to volunteer or donate time or money, the following is the contact information you will need:

Cemetery Preservation - Restoration Project Donation

Dear Ancestor

Your tombstone stands among the rest;
Neglected and alone.
The name and date are chiseled out
On polished marbled stone.
It reaches out to all who care
It is too late to mourn.
You did not know that I exist
You died and I was born.
Yet each of us are cells of you
In flesh, in blood, in bone.
Our blood contracts and beats a pulse
Entirely not our own.
Dear Ancestor, the place you filled
One hundred years ago
Spreads out among the ones you left
Who would have loved you so.
I wonder if you lived and loved,
I wonder if you knew
That someday I would find this spot,
And come to visit you.
{Author unknown}

Requesting Tombstone Inscriptions and Tombstone Photos Needed

If you have ancestors/families buried in a cemetery and there are no readable stones or no stones at all, and you have data, photos or other pertinent information showing where they are buried, please send your information along with your name and contact information to the following address:

The Jefferson County Chapter, OGS

740.346.2820
PO BOX 2367
Wintersville, OH 43953

Attn: Cemetery Project

Note from Chapter President- Please remember to include as much data as possible such as; cemetery name/location, along with the name/names and birth/death dates. If you have a photo that would be extremely helpful! If you have family photos or genealogy information, please include that as well. We look forward to locating those ancestors whose stones have long since been gone and would not be identified if it weren’t for descendants that have that knowledge to share! That’s what it’s all about SHARING!!!! (Flora L VerStraten, president)

Find A Grave

Cemetery Histories

Gravestone Preservation