Cemetery Photo Project
Project consists of photographing the entrances or the
cemetery so a non visitor can gain a feeling of what cemetery looks
like.
In addition to being an visual aid, the coordinates determined by GPS
on unlisted cemeteries will be submitted to USGS for updating the GNIS
database. These coordinates can assist an researcher in finding
the cemetery. I want to express many thanks and gratitude for the
responsiveness of the USGS personal and organization in making the
additions and changes to the GNIS database. As the database is
used by numerous other private, educational, and commercial firms , it
is imperative that the database be constantly maintain and current.
Project consists of three counties in Kansas, three counties in
Missouri and three counties in Oklahoma. They do join each other.
Click on county name to
view.
Status of GNIS update
Cherokee
County, Kansas
Submitted Dec. 2004- GNIS updated on 1/3/2005
Crawford County, Kansas
Labette
County, Kansas
Jasper
County, Missouri
McDonald
County, Missouri
Newton
County, Missouri
Craig County, Oklahoma
Delaware County, Oklahoma
Ottawa County, Oklahoma
CAUTION: This is a document is
progress. Pages and
notes will be added as acquired.
The source document for these cemeteries is the USGS GNIS database. I
have found that the GNIS database contains errors as to position of the
features. As we are presenting cemetery data, the feature list
contains the cemeteries as presented by the GNIS database. If I
found a postion in error, I show the correct position that I determine
it to be. Also contained on these pages are cemeteries that I find in
the counties that were not listed in the GNIS query. As I find
other souces of cemetery locations I will add to the listing and will
be showing the GPS positions as I can determine. New GPS
positions are sometime taken on the road next to cemetery and other
times inside if a interior road exists and is travel able.
The URL for the GNIS database and query form is:
http://geonames.usgs.gov/
and
http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnis/web_query.gnis_web_query_form
The
pages contain Geographic Postions as determined by GPS
receivers. I use Garmin GPS units, both colormap in vehicles and emap
that are handheld. I find that the accuracy of the units are in
the 25 to 35 feet range. The datum used is WGS 084 and the latitude and
longitudes displayed are in hddd mm ss.s format.
Cemetery
positions not listed by GNIS or ones listed by GNIS, but in error are
provided for your
help, but not supported.
If
you understand GPS these will help. If not,
Don't
use.
You could a gps system
of your own to find the points and/or you could use an internet
program called Mapquest to use with the coordinates. You can
enter Latitude and Longitude without conversion:
and produce a map of the location. Now if you can read a map you are in
business.
The URL is:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/latlong.adp
Be sure to use the proper format for entering positions!
More information on USGS, GNIS and associated mapping can be found at:
http://geography.usgs.gov/index.html
A hint
""""From many miles, days and hundreds of cemeteries:""""
Sometimes when using an GPS, and you are comparing known values for a
feature like a cemetery to your GPS unit. However your GPS does not
have the feature loaded and all you have to compare is the GPS
coordinates (Lat's and Long's). I live where Oklahoma, Kansas and
Missouri get together. Our Latitude is 37 degrees north and the
Longitude is 94 30 west. A simple conversion at this Latitude
that can be done in your head, is that 1 minute of arc equals 1.1 miles
in latitude and 1 minute of arc equal 1.0 miles in Longitude.
So if your gps shows a lat of 46 minutes and your known point is 54
minutes (difference of 8 minutes), then you need to drive
westerly a distance of 8.8 miles (8 times 1.1).
I have found in my travels from Pennsylvania to Arizona that this
simple conversion works well at all longitudes and close enough for
most latitudes. It really works well in midwest were the roads are
mostly on section lines and are a mile apart.
Another handy conversion is that 1 second of arc is equal to roughly
100 feet.
If you were directed to this page directly, perhaps you may want to
visit the true beginning of this series at this web site:
GO TO:
http://www.AdamsonAncestry.com/
END