The Potsdam Public Museum archives hold a number of cemetery records and interments compiled by individuals and groups over the years. As in all cemetery records PLEASE note there are great inconsistencies.

Some records are transcribed from interment records and many times interment records were made by a local gravedigger who could not always read or write. Other times records were written down by groups or families with persons of various abilities to read and write. Stones were often times illegible and some of the information was a guess, yet, there is no record that information was questioned. Other records may have been made by gravestone rubbings. These deteriorate with acid rain, moss, freezing and thawing, sand and wind.

Sometimes, you will find an incorrect date or spelling of a name on a gravestone and dismiss it as the wrong person. Be careful dismissing such information as many times the information given to the person doing the inscription was written in longhand and the stone carver read it as best possible. When the family discovered the mistake " written in stone", it was too late. With limited finances, not every family could justify a new stone.

When compiling records, especially from the twentieth century and before, keep in mind that census records, cemetery records, gravestones, marriage licenses, birth and death records may vary a bit with spelling and dates. Make notes of where you find such records for posterity. Keep an open mind and use variations of spellings. 

For local cemetery records available online go to our downloads section on your left.

Our goal is to make these records available online in the future.

Sandfordville

The Political Graveyard, St. Lawrence County, NY

            Southville

West Stockholm