Yesterday I contacted a cemetery in Chicago to ask about burials there. I gave them a name and they verified the burial and gave me the grave location. When I asked who else was buried in the plot, they refused to give me this information because of "the privacy act & identify theft". However if I could provide proof of relationship, then they could give me the info. When I mentioned that I could get the same info by visiting the grave, they replied that I could but they still could not provide the information. This is the first time that I have encountered this situation. Other cemeteries have sent me plot layouts as well as ownership information within the last couple of years. Has anyone else run into this situation? Is what I am being told accurate and true?

I have been told that (but then they gave the info anyway!) New Orleans Proud On Apr 7, 2012, at 1:28 AM, Alice Hix <alicehix@gmail.com> wrote: > Yesterday I contacted a cemetery in Chicago to ask about burials there. I > gave them a name and they verified the burial and gave me the grave > location. When I asked who else was buried in the plot, they refused to > give me this information because of "the privacy act & identify theft". > However if I could provide proof of relationship, then they could give me > the info. When I mentioned that I could get the same info by visiting the > grave, they replied that I could but they still could not provide the > information. > > This is the first time that I have encountered this situation. Other > cemeteries have sent me plot layouts as well as ownership information > within the last couple of years. > > Has anyone else run into this situation? Is what I am being told accurate > and true? > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to LAORLEAN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

I'm not a bit surprised that a CHICAGO area cemetery staff refused to give out information.  They are very strict, in fact, many of the cemeteries in that area don't want people photographing the graves unless they can prove a relationship to the deceased!  Find A Grave volunteers have been refused permission to photograph numerous times.  The problem is mostly with the privately owned cemeteries, not the church-related grave yards. I've done lots of Chicago research and belong to the Chicago Genealogical Society and Illinois Genealogical Society, as well as being on the Cook County maillist.  What you're describing is a common complaint I read about all the time.  Everyone is so frustrated.  Not only do Chicago cemeteries limit information on the recently deceased but also on the people who died 150+ years ago!  It makes no sense, especially when one considers the death and burial information is and was commonly listed in newspapers at the time of death. I've often been grateful that dealing with the New Orleans area and South Louisiana burials records, the cemeteries have been more than helpful and accommodating. As an aside, be aware some Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, privately owned cemeteries are gradually adopting the restrictive policy (if they bother to answer you queries). Alexa Genealogy research since 1974 Ancestral hauntings - I ain't afraid-a no ghosts... --- On Sat, 4/7/12, Alice Hix <alicehix@gmail.com> wrote: From: Alice Hix <alicehix@gmail.com> Subject: [LAORLEAN] Requesting information from cemeteries To: laorlean@rootsweb.com Date: Saturday, April 7, 2012, 1:28 AM Yesterday I contacted a cemetery in Chicago to ask about burials there.  I gave them a name and they verified the burial and gave me the grave location.  When I asked who else was buried in the plot, they refused to give me this information because of "the privacy act & identify theft". However if I could provide proof of relationship, then they could give me the info.  When I mentioned that I could get the same info by visiting the grave, they replied that I could but they still could not provide the information. This is the first time that I have encountered this situation.  Other cemeteries have sent me plot layouts as well as ownership information within the last couple of years. Has anyone else run into this situation?  Is what I am being told accurate and true?

Years ago (early 1980s) I ran into this with the New Orleans Archdiocesan Cemeteries. I was not related to the person interred there, so was not able to get the information for the decorated wall vault in St. Louis 1 in which I was interested. On the other hand, Alana Mendoza of Archdiocesan Cemeteries has more recently given me the ownership and interrment record for the Marie Laveau and Delphine Macarty Lalaurie tombs in St. Louis 1. Carolyn Long ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alice Hix" <alicehix@gmail.com> To: <laorlean@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, April 07, 2012 2:28 AM Subject: [LAORLEAN] Requesting information from cemeteries > Yesterday I contacted a cemetery in Chicago to ask about burials there. I > gave them a name and they verified the burial and gave me the grave > location. When I asked who else was buried in the plot, they refused to > give me this information because of "the privacy act & identify theft". > However if I could provide proof of relationship, then they could give me > the info. When I mentioned that I could get the same info by visiting the > grave, they replied that I could but they still could not provide the > information. > > This is the first time that I have encountered this situation. Other > cemeteries have sent me plot layouts as well as ownership information > within the last couple of years. > > Has anyone else run into this situation? Is what I am being told accurate > and true? > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > LAORLEAN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >