Arizona, Maricopa, Mesa City Cemetery Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
This collection is dated from 1889 through 1953.

Record Description
The collection consists of images of cemetery and other records from the Mesa City Cemetery. The collection includes:


 * Permits for graves
 * Tax roll
 * Block book
 * Sexton ledgers
 * Burial records
 * Funeral records

This collection is being published as images become available.

Record Content
Cemetery records usually contaion the following information:


 * Name of deceased
 * Death date
 * Burial dates and places

In addition, they may also list the following:


 * Age
 * Cause of death
 * Residence
 * Birth year
 * Names of children
 * Mortuary or undertaker
 * Name of purchaser of the plot
 * Location of the plot

How to Use the Record
To begin your search you will need to know the following:


 * The person’s name
 * The approximate burial or death date

Once you have located your ancestor’s burial record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Burial records are often brief so it can be easy confuse individuals. Compare what information is given with what you already know about your ancestor to make sure it is the correct person.

Next, look at the pieces of information given in the burial record for new information. Add any new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors.

For example:


 * Use the birth date or year to search for birth records.
 * Use the birth date along with relative’s names to find the family in census records.
 * Use the locality and relative’s names to locate church and land records.
 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral records which often include the names and residences of other family members.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the deceased who may have been buried in the same cemetery or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, try the following:


 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby cemeteries.

The cemetery these records are from still exists today. Family members of those found in the records who died after the records were written may also be interred in this cemetery. Mesa Cemetery maintains a website with additional information on those later burials.

Record History
The Mesa city cemetery began keeping records when it was established in 1891. It is currently operated by the City of Mesa Parks, Recreation, and Commercial Facilities Department.

Why the Record Was Created
The records were created to keep track of who had purchased the lots and who was buried there.

Record Reliability
The records are generally reliable, but the information depends upon the reliablitiy and memory of the informant or purchaser of the burial plot.

Related Websites

 * Mesa Cemetery
 * BillionGraves page for this cemetery. All the records on this site, inscriptions of the headstones in the cemetery, will also appear in the BillionGraves Index on FamilySearch.  Burials through most of 2012 will be found in this index.

Related Wiki Articles
Arizona Cemeteries

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection

 * “Delaware Marriage Records,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 4 March 2011), entry for William Anderson and Elizabeth Baynard Henry, married 23 November 1913; citing marriage certificate no. 859; FHL microfilm 2,025,063; Delaware Bureau of Archives and Records Management, Dover.
 * “El Salvador Civil Registration,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 21 March 2011), entry for Jose Maria Antonio del Carmen, born 9 April 1880; citing La Libertad, San Juan Opico, Nacimientos 1879-1893, image 50; Ministerio Archivo Civil de la Alcaldia Municipal de San Salvador.

Sources of information for This Collection
"Arizona, Mesa City Cemetery Records, 1889-1953." Images. FamilySearch (FamilySearch). Mesa City Cemetery, Mesa, Arizona. FHL digital images. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

The suggested format for citing FamilySearch Historical Collections is found in the following article: How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.