“GRAB THE CEMETERY BAG....”

	Libby, my longtime roommate and genealogical co-conspirator, put together what we affectionately 
refer to as “the cemetery bag.”  It is a canvas shopping bag we keep stocked with items we might need while 
cemetery-hopping.  Cemeteries vary widely in condition, and it includes items needed for both the well-
tended and nearly-abandoned, as the following list will illustrate.
	What you might include in your own cemetery bag is also dependent on your chosen method or 
methods of documentation.  Lib and I like to take written notes, photographs, and, depending on the 
condition of the stone, rubbings.  A good rubbing can often help you make out dates and names that are 
difficult to read on very worn stones.  We have found that nonfusible interfacing (available at fabric stores) 
and jumbo crayons (generally intended for preschoolers) give good results.
	The spray bottle and brush are handy for removing lichens, bird droppings, and other items that 
often form a kind of gravestone patina.  Remember - be gentle!  These are irreplaceable monuments we are 
dealing with.  The plastic putty knife is handy for clearing encroaching soil and sod from ground-level 
stones, while minimizing the possibility of scratching or chipping them.  Most of the other items are self-
explanatory.

Small notebook
Pens and pencils
Camera
Film
Insect repellent
Band-Aids
Work gloves
Knee pads
One quart spray bottle of water
Small nylon-bristle scrub brush
Plastic putty knife
Tape measure
Jumbo crayons
Roll of medium to heavy weight nonfusible interfacing
Wide masking tape
Shears
Spare socks
Something to snack on