In case you do not get the Rootsweb newsletter, I am going to give you a way to read tombstones which are unreadable with the naked eye. Shine a light on the stone with a mirror. I didn't keep the URL which shows pictures of how the stone looks both ways, but it is remarkable. You will be able to read the tombstone without damaging the stone. In this same article, it states that the chemicals and oils in shaving creams will enter the porous stones and damage them. Velda Wittenbrink Moore vel_chick@verizon.net http://www.larrett.com/velda/ http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilrcgs/