Index to People Buried in Columbia County, NY
by Lawrence V. Rickard
Text and computer presentation by Cliff Lamere Dec 2000
Lawrence V. Rickard, a resident of Columbia Co., is the author of the following genealogical books published by Kinship:
Gilboa Reformed and Blenheim Reformed Churches Vital Records 1797-1884, Schoharie County, NY
A Richtmyer, Rightmyer Genealogy
The Reichard-Rikard-Rickard Genealogy
18th & Early 19th Century BECKERS of Eastern New York
As a service to the Columbia County Historical Society and its visitors, over a period of 2-3 years in the 1990s, Mr. Rickard made indices for 33 cemetery books owned by the Society. Each of the books lacked their own full name index. At the end of this project, he merged those separate indices into one giant index containing over 60,000 names. Each entry in the index consists of a name (sometimes two), a book number, and one or more page numbers. The Rickard Master Burial Index for Columbia Co. is a valuable addition to online information.
COMMENTS ABOUT USING THIS INDEX
Spelling - The spelling used in this index is the same as that on gravestones or in burial records. Sometimes gravestone inscriptions are so faded that no accurate reading can be made, however. Check alternate spellings no matter how strongly you believe that you know the correct spelling.
Alphabetical order is not completely alphabetical - Because of the method of creating the original index, the sorting process placed people without middle initials after people of the same name who had middle initials.
Sometimes a husband and wife are mentioned on the same stone. These did not get separate listings in Mr. Rickard's index. They were kept together and alphabetized under the husband's name.
I have tried to avoid separating a letter of the alphabet into more than one webpage. Browsing for alternate spellings has its advantages. However, there was a need to hold the webpages down to about 2500 names so that it will not take more than about 20 seconds to load onto your computer.
Some names were recorded with only the first letter of the surname. If you want to check those, they appear at the very beginning of the list for any letter.
Blank lines - A few blank lines occur in the index pages. They are completely beyond my control. Fortunately, there is no missing data in that area.
Bk 12:42, 51 means book 12, pages 42 and 51. The term "book" is used rather loosely. Most of the 33 cemetery books are in notebooks of one type or another.
I have prepared a separate list of several hundred cemeteries and family burying grounds that were mentioned in the 33 indexed books. To use the list, click on the link below titled "List of Book Numbers and Cemeteries". Each cemetery or burial ground in my list is keyed to the book and page numbers of the Rickard Master Burial Index for Columbia Co. The webpage containing the list of book numbers and cemeteries has detailed instructions on how to use them.
A Ba Be-Bo Br-By Ca-Cl Co-Cz Da-De Dh-Dz E F G Ha He-Hl
Ho-Hy I J K L Ma-Me Mi-My N O Pa-Ph Pi-Py Q Ra-Ri Ro-Ry
Sa-Se Sh Si-Sn So-Sy T U Vab-Van Var-Vry Wa-Wh Wi-Wy XYZ
* LIST OF BOOK NUMBERS & CEMETERIES * (includes information for ordering photocopies)
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