Somewhere out on the lonely prairie, amidst the rustling of tall grasses and the wind rustling through the trees surrounding a small country cemetery, chances are you may find a genealogist looking for historical information!
Cemeteries offer a wealth of historical information, and it may come as a surprise to you to discover just how many are listed on the Saskatchewan Cemeteries Project (www.rootsweb.ancestry.com). As of August 1, 2017, there are 1,750 cemeteries transcribed or photographed and indexed on the site, from a total of approximately 3,300 cemeteries and burial sites in Saskatchewan.
Visit www.saskgenealogy.com, and you will be able to see the latest from the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society. If you are one of many kind volunteers who are involved in the upkeep of a small country cemetery near you, you may be interested to know that “The Saskatchewan Genealogical Society along with the Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority is pleased to present two cemetery care and maintenance guides: the Saskatchewan Historic Cemetery Preservation Guide and the Operating Your Small Cemetery, A Primer for Saskatchewan Cemeterians. These guides provide information and guidance for the establishment, maintenance, care and repair of headstones, cemetery grounds, as well as the management of cemeteries.”
On this site, click on “cemetery guides”, to learn about the information the SGS has recorded to help in your family research. The site says this: “In 1975, the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society (SGS) began the task of locating all Saskatchewan cemeteries, including private burials and recording all tombstones. A number of SGS Branches have been actively recording cemeteries in their area. SGS works with Rural Municipalities and Village Offices; churches and various intercultural groups who wish cemeteries of their Heritage to be recorded and preserved. When possible, burial records are provided by custodians of the cemetery records…. The cemetery records are kept on file in our Library and Research Room and in the Cemetery Index on this website. The recorded cemeteries provide over 440,000 burial records and of these about two-thirds have been indexed and are included in the Burial Index which is located on our website under the Databases tab.
The cemetery program has become recognized as a vital program to preserve the Cultural Heritage of a community. Communities and individuals have become involved with this program to preserve their records as a matter of community pride. Sometimes a cemetery is the only tangible evidence of a community.”
The Yorkton branch of the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society holds monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of each month. While currently on summer holidays, the group’s next meeting will be on Tuesday, September 12 at the Yorkton Public Library. Anyone interested in genealogy, at any stage of research, is most welcome to attend. You will find answers to your genealogy questions, and good advice on how to enhance your search. There is no better time than right now to begin researching your family history!
Every family has a story: discover yours with the Yorkton branch of the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society!
submitted by
Debbie Hayward
