thank you very much for the information. Fortunately I gather because they were in a church cemetery, they all seem to be in good condition and readable. Protecting family cemeteries can be extremely difficult when the cemetery is on land sold out of the family and the family has not rights and the owner is not interested in maintenance. I have seen the "cattlebrand" type marks on deeds also when the individual could not write, so this was their mark, the intertwined initials. Judy On 04/23/13, Jane NorthoftheBlueMts<northofthebluemts@gmail.com> wrote: Hi Judy - There are a number of 18th & early 19th c field stone markers, including those of Dutch families and in Dutch churchyards, in the Minisink Valley (Tri-state NJ NY & PA) which I have compiled into a list, by no means comprehensive & with photos from numerous contributors, here: [1]http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=vcsr&GSvcid=272532 Some are merely initials, some with Dutch script giving more information. Two inscriptions on the Westbrook Cemetery stones in Sandyston Township NJ remind me of colonial cattle marks where the surname "Westbrook" quite possibly has been cut as WB with the two letters joined at a middle line: [2]http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=77573897 & [3]http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=77572066 I would be most interesting in hearing from anyone with access to documents relating to cattle mark or brand registration in colonial times, Dutch or otherwise. Recently a 1766 PA land warrant application for Andrew (Andries) Dingman came to light with his mark "AD" also having the two letters joined at the middle line. Were barrels, say of flour or dried apples, or rafted logs branded, too? [4]http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/BookView.aspx?dbid=2350&iid=33021_26320 8-01292&sid=&gskw=Andw+Dingman Best, Jane [5]http://minisinkvalleygenealogy.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to DU[6]TCH-COLONIES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message References 1. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=vcsr&GSvcid=272532 2. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=77573897 3. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=77572066 4. http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/BookView.aspx?dbid=2350&iid=33021_263208-01292&sid=&gskw=Andw+Dingman 5. http://minisinkvalleygenealogy.blogspot.com/ 6. mailto:TCH-COLONIES-request@rootsweb.com