These burial cards, opens a new window were produced by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Agency under the Veterans' Grave Registration program in Pierce County, Washington. The range of dates spans from the mid-nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century. A majority of the individuals listed on these cards are identified as veterans of the Civil War, but also included is the Spanish-American War, the Boer War, and World War I. The information on the cards contain the person's name, rank, and organization in the military, what war they are a veteran of, along with the date/place enlisted and date/place discharged by the military. Additionally, the burial information includes the name and location of the cemetery; the grave number, location, and condition of the plot; and the date of the burial along with any marker information. Also included is the date, location, and cause of death, along with a line for name and address of next of kin. Not all fields are complete on all cards. The burial locations in Washington include Tacoma, Puyallup, Orting, Sumner, Spanaway, Roy, Alder, Fort Lewis, Fox Island, and Buckley. The cards are organized alphabetically. Box 1 contains surnames A-N, Box 2 contains surnames O-R, Box 3 contains surnames S-U, and Box 4 contains surnames V-Z.
The cards are of great value for anyone tracing their ancestors’ military service and final resting place, as well as for individuals and organizations looking to commemorate veterans and their service.
To view the cards, make an appointment, opens a new window at the Northwest room. The Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society volunteers have painstakingly compiled information from these cards and a full list is available, opens a new window on their website.
