Hi Mona: I doubt that the office staff will consent to your searching the books at Baltimore Cemetery. On the other hand, it surely won't hurt anything to ask, especially if you approach it in a matter that will save them some effort. One of the major problems with Baltimore Cemetery records is that the main office for the cemetery was located in downtown Baltimore prior to 1904. In the Baltimore Fire of 1904, that office and all of the records were destroyed. What passes for records prior to 1904 now, were recreated from the sexton records kept at the cemetery. The sexton was more interested in digging and maintaining the grounds rather than keeping records! There are many errors, not just in spellings but locations. Nonetheless, I have always had very positive experiences with the staff at Baltimore Cemetery. Whether requested or not, always offer to pay for the service they are providing. I never heard of HIPA (though I'm intimately familiar with HIPPA). Somehow I don't see how or why the government is interested in protecting the interest of the long-dead ... but then again ... Good Luck. Gary 20 April 2007 Baltimore http://home.att.net/~g.ruppert Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 12:25:18 -0700 (PDT) From: mona everett <mona_sydd_yma@yahoo.com> Subject: [MD-BALTIMORECITY] Baltimore Cemetery question To: BALTGEN-L@rootsweb.com, MD-BaltimoreCity-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <269905.76121.qm@web58311.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Hi, I have been to Baltimore Cemetery and found some early ancestors who were buried there before Mt. Carmel opened. The people in the office were helpful--both in person and by mail--but pretty secretive with the actual records. Although they did provide me with copies. My question is: Has anyone ever been able to actually look through the records there--without having the man in the office do it and bring out whatever he finds? It took me several years and visits before I found my DAVIS/DAVIES people because the original record had been mis-transcribed. Instead of listing "David Davies" in the plot on the date he was buried, it listed "Mrs. Davies" a few days before his death. Likely she knew he was dying and bought the plot. The original record was correct and showed David as being in the plot. This is something I would have been able to pick up on immediately, if I had been allowed to see the original records, or even the transcritions. I now have another person to hunt for there, but do not have an exact date of death (although I can probably limit it to one year) and no first name--just surname DAVIS/DAVIES. I can approximate her age from those of her husband and 2 young boys. If I could look thru the original records myself, I could probably find her. I can't imagine the office looking with just this info. What do you think--I'll be out in Baltimore again in August or Sept. Should I try to convince them to let me search? I would still gladly pay them. Thanks! Mona

My experience at Baltimore Cemetery was a positive one. I will agree with Jane that the gentleman working in the office doesn't care about genealogy. But he was polite to me and answered my questions. I probably should have brought extra $. --- "g.ruppert@att.net" <g.ruppert@att.net> wrote: > Hi Mona: > > I doubt that the office staff will consent to your > searching the books at Baltimore Cemetery. On the > other hand, it surely won't hurt anything to ask, > especially if you approach it in a matter that will > save them some effort. > > One of the major problems with Baltimore Cemetery > records is that the main office for the cemetery was > located in downtown Baltimore prior to 1904. In the > Baltimore Fire of 1904, that office and all of the > records were destroyed. > > What passes for records prior to 1904 now, were > recreated from the sexton records kept at the > cemetery. The sexton was more interested in digging > and maintaining the grounds rather than keeping > records! There are many errors, not just in > spellings but locations. > > Nonetheless, I have always had very positive > experiences with the staff at Baltimore Cemetery. > Whether requested or not, always offer to pay for > the service they are providing. > > I never heard of HIPA (though I'm intimately > familiar with HIPPA). Somehow I don't see how or why > the government is interested in protecting the > interest of the long-dead ... but then again ... > > Good Luck. > > Gary > 20 April 2007 > Baltimore > http://home.att.net/~g.ruppert > > Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 12:25:18 -0700 (PDT) > From: mona everett <mona_sydd_yma@yahoo.com> > Subject: [MD-BALTIMORECITY] Baltimore Cemetery > question > To: BALTGEN-L@rootsweb.com, > MD-BaltimoreCity-L@rootsweb.com > Message-ID: > <269905.76121.qm@web58311.mail.re3.yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 > > Hi, > > I have been to Baltimore Cemetery and found some > early ancestors who were > buried there before Mt. Carmel opened. The people in > the office were > helpful--both in person and by mail--but pretty > secretive with the actual > records. Although they did provide me with copies. > > My question is: Has anyone ever been able to > actually look through the records > there--without having the man in the office do it > and bring out whatever he > finds? > > It took me several years and visits before I found > my DAVIS/DAVIES people > because the original record had been > mis-transcribed. Instead of listing "David > Davies" in the plot on the date he was buried, it > listed "Mrs. Davies" a few days before his death. > Likely she knew he was dying and bought the plot. > The original record was > correct and showed David as being in the plot. This > is something I would have > been able to pick up on immediately, if I had been > allowed to see the original > records, or even the transcritions. > > I now have another person to hunt for there, but > do not have an exact date of > death (although I can probably limit it to one year) > and no first name--just > surname DAVIS/DAVIES. I can approximate her age from > those of her husband and 2 > young boys. > > If I could look thru the original records myself, > I could probably find her. I > can't imagine the office looking with just this > info. > > What do you think--I'll be out in Baltimore again > in August or Sept. Should I > try to convince them to let me search? I would still > gladly pay them. > > Thanks! > > Mona > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email > to MD-BALTIMORECITY-request@rootsweb.com with the > word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject > and the body of the message > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com