Intestate refers to a person dying without having a will . Knowing this prevents you from wasting time looking for a will that doesn't exist. And, although the information is not always perfectly accurate, the information for cemetery markers was often provided by someone who personally knew the deceased. The cemetery marker may have images that give hints about the individual's or the family's values or beliefs, military service, or marital status. Nearby graves are sometimes the graves of the individual's relatives.
Some cemeteries maintain records about people buried in the cemetery.
The type of cemetery may provide clues about your ancestor. An indentured servent is a person who is under an agreement to work for someone else for a certain period of time . For example, immigrants from Europe to America during the 1700's and 1800's sometimes paid for their ocean passage by agreeing to work for their sponsor for 7 years. Parents also indentured their children so that the children would learn marketable work skills. A consort is a husband, wife or partner .