The Descendants of Fossors: Honoring the Humble Diggers of History

When most people think of early settlement and community-building, they imagine soldiers, farmers, or statesmen. Yet one of the oldest and most essential professions in human history was that of the fossor—literally a digger. From the burial of the dead to the construction of early communities, fossors were indispensable. The modern hereditary lineage society known as the Descendants of Fossors was founded to honor and preserve this often-overlooked legacy.

Who Were the Fossors?

The word fossor derives from the Latin fodere, meaning “to dig.” In early Christian Rome, fossors were men employed to dig graves in the catacombs, preparing resting places for martyrs and believers alike. Their role was both practical and sacred, as burial was considered an act of religious devotion.

The term later broadened to include diggers and grave makers across Europe and colonial America. In the early United States, fossors were gravediggers, sextons, and caretakers of burial grounds—often trusted community figures responsible for maintaining sacred ground.

Founding of the Descendants of Fossors

The Descendants of Fossors was established in the early 21st century as part of a wave of new hereditary societies dedicated to lesser-known occupations and roles in history. Like organizations such as Flagon and Trencher(descendants of colonial tavern keepers) or the Descendants of the Ancient Planters (Jamestown-era settlers), the Descendants of Fossors sought to shine a light on ordinary yet indispensable professions.

Its founders were genealogists and historians with documented fossor ancestry, who wanted to celebrate the role of gravediggers and sextons in both colonial and early American history. The society was formally incorporated as a lineage-based organization, with membership restricted to those who can prove descent from a recognized fossor.

Mission and Purpose

The society’s goals include:

Recognizing and honoring fossors who served their communities in both sacred and civic ways.
Preserving burial records, cemetery histories, and sexton journals, which are invaluable for genealogical research.
Encouraging descendants to celebrate their fossor ancestors as community builders and keepers of memory.
Supporting cemetery preservation projects and the conservation of gravestones, churchyards, and early American burial sites.

Membership

To join the Descendants of Fossors, applicants must:

Provide documented, direct lineal descent from a fossor, sexton, or recognized gravedigger between 1607 and 1900.
Submit genealogical proofs including census records, church records, cemetery registers, or town documents showing the ancestor’s occupation.
Demonstrate a continuing interest in heritage preservation.

Like many lineage societies, the Descendants of Fossors maintains a registry of qualifying ancestors, and new applicants help expand this archive.

Contributions and Activities

The society’s activities have included:

Publishing ancestor biographies in its newsletters.
Collaborating with local historical societies on cemetery preservation.
Hosting memorial services and dedication ceremonies at historic burial grounds.
Contributing to wider scholarly conversations about death, burial practices, and social roles in early America.

In doing so, the group highlights a unique but crucial part of community heritage: those who cared for the dead and preserved memory for the living.

Conclusion

The Descendants of Fossors reminds us that history is not only shaped by kings, soldiers, and statesmen, but also by the quiet work of those who dug the earth, prepared the dead for burial, and maintained sacred ground. By preserving their stories, this society keeps alive the memory of an ancient and honorable profession.