There is a letter to the editor in the Jan 2006 issue of Kentucky Explorer: Dear Editor: Cleaning grave markers in not always a hard job. Buy a pair of cheap rubber gloves, Brillo pads, and Easy Off oven cleaner and take along a bucket of water and an old-fashioned scrub brush. Spray the oven cleaner on the stone, scrub it with water and the brush, use a Brillo pad. Leave the cleaner on the marker, do not wash off. Come back in a few weeks and it will look cleaner. By repeating this process the stone will look a lot cleaner and stay that way for a long time. If you run into a tougher cleaning job, buy a cleaner that contains acid, but be careful. If you would like to take photos of the marker, buy some white chalk and run it over the names and dates, then take pictures from various distances. James Steed I called the magazine, the lady there said Mr. Steed had contributed many items and photos to the publication and he was really good. I explained that you don't use chemicals and Brillo pads on grave markers and the damage that could occur. She said she used a power washer on her stones, I explained the danger of that also. She also said that he didn't specify what type of marker he was cleaning, I explained that granite markers rarely need to be cleaned, so people would be using this technique on marble and sandstone markers. She said if I would like to write a letter to the editor they would be happy to print it. Is there anyone who is more knowledgeable than I who would like to write to them? Or, better yet, many people write to them? If not, I'll put something together. Charles Hayes, Jr, publisher Kentucky Explorer PO Box 227 Jackson, KY 41339 Thanks for your help! Rhonda Stoffer Head of Indiana History and Genealogy Services Marion Public Library

Hello All, Hope you have all had a happy holiday. This is my 2 cents worth. Educate, Educate, Educate. We can't do enough to Educate.... Most people don't have a clue how to clean a stone. We have to stop the ones that think they do but don't really. Sheila Rhonda Stoffer <rstoffer@marion.lib.in.us> wrote: There is a letter to the editor in the Jan 2006 issue of Kentucky Explorer: Dear Editor: Cleaning grave markers in not always a hard job. Buy a pair of cheap rubber gloves, Brillo pads, and Easy Off oven cleaner and take along a bucket of water and an old-fashioned scrub brush. Spray the oven cleaner on the stone, scrub it with water and the brush, use a Brillo pad. Leave the cleaner on the marker, do not wash off. Come back in a few weeks and it will look cleaner. By repeating this process the stone will look a lot cleaner and stay that way for a long time. If you run into a tougher cleaning job, buy a cleaner that contains acid, but be careful. If you would like to take photos of the marker, buy some white chalk and run it over the names and dates, then take pictures from various distances. James Steed I called the magazine, the lady there said Mr. Steed had contributed many items and photos to the publication and he was really good. I explained that you don't use chemicals and Brillo pads on grave markers and the damage that could occur. She said she used a power washer on her stones, I explained the danger of that also. She also said that he didn't specify what type of marker he was cleaning, I explained that granite markers rarely need to be cleaned, so people would be using this technique on marble and sandstone markers. She said if I would like to write a letter to the editor they would be happy to print it. Is there anyone who is more knowledgeable than I who would like to write to them? Or, better yet, many people write to them? If not, I'll put something together. Charles Hayes, Jr, publisher Kentucky Explorer PO Box 227 Jackson, KY 41339 Thanks for your help! Rhonda Stoffer Head of Indiana History and Genealogy Services Marion Public Library ==== INPCRP Mailing List ==== Quote from William Gladstone (1809-1897), three-time Prime Minister of England and Victorian contemporary of Benjamin Disraeli: "Show me the manner in which a nation or community cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness the tender mercies of its people, their respect for the laws of the land, and their loyalty to high ideals." --------------------------------- Yahoo! Personals Single? There's someone we'd like you to meet. Lots of someones, actually. Try Yahoo! Personals

Rhonda: I can't believe that letter. Really sounds like an "April Fool" letter but this is the wrong time of year. Joan Wray Tipton County ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sheila Rooker" <gravefinder2003@yahoo.com> To: <INPCRP-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 6:18 PM Subject: Re: [INPCRP] You won't believe this one - please help! Hello All, Hope you have all had a happy holiday. This is my 2 cents worth. Educate, Educate, Educate. We can't do enough to Educate.... Most people don't have a clue how to clean a stone. We have to stop the ones that think they do but don't really. Sheila Rhonda Stoffer <rstoffer@marion.lib.in.us> wrote: There is a letter to the editor in the Jan 2006 issue of Kentucky Explorer: Dear Editor: Cleaning grave markers in not always a hard job. Buy a pair of cheap rubber gloves, Brillo pads, and Easy Off oven cleaner and take along a bucket of water and an old-fashioned scrub brush. Spray the oven cleaner on the stone, scrub it with water and the brush, use a Brillo pad. Leave the cleaner on the marker, do not wash off. Come back in a few weeks and it will look cleaner. By repeating this process the stone will look a lot cleaner and stay that way for a long time. If you run into a tougher cleaning job, buy a cleaner that contains acid, but be careful. If you would like to take photos of the marker, buy some white chalk and run it over the names and dates, then take pictures from various distances. James Steed I called the magazine, the lady there said Mr. Steed had contributed many items and photos to the publication and he was really good. I explained that you don't use chemicals and Brillo pads on grave markers and the damage that could occur. She said she used a power washer on her stones, I explained the danger of that also. She also said that he didn't specify what type of marker he was cleaning, I explained that granite markers rarely need to be cleaned, so people would be using this technique on marble and sandstone markers. She said if I would like to write a letter to the editor they would be happy to print it. Is there anyone who is more knowledgeable than I who would like to write to them? Or, better yet, many people write to them? If not, I'll put something together. Charles Hayes, Jr, publisher Kentucky Explorer PO Box 227 Jackson, KY 41339 Thanks for your help! Rhonda Stoffer Head of Indiana History and Genealogy Services Marion Public Library ==== INPCRP Mailing List ==== Quote from William Gladstone (1809-1897), three-time Prime Minister of England and Victorian contemporary of Benjamin Disraeli: "Show me the manner in which a nation or community cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness the tender mercies of its people, their respect for the laws of the land, and their loyalty to high ideals." --------------------------------- Yahoo! Personals Single? There's someone we'd like you to meet. Lots of someones, actually. Try Yahoo! Personals ==== INPCRP Mailing List ==== To UNSUBSCRIBE, send message consisting only of "UNSUBSCRIBE" to INPCRP-L-REQUEST@rootsweb.com or to INPCRP-D-REQUEST@rootsweb.com (for DIGEST version) --- --- --- ---

Shelia, Rhonda and all, I wholehearted agree with you but the question is how. But before I address that issue I would like to point out what Mr. Steed in his infinite wisdom neglected to tell his faithful readers is that after it stays that way for a long time it will begin to deteriorate and there is nothing you can do about it. He should have also advised them to be sure to take plenty of pictures while they can because in time that's about all anyone will be able to read. It would appear to me that from his writing style he is somewhat educated but evidently on other matters that have nothing to do with cemetery or tombstone preservation. And I'm also puzzled why the Kentucky Explorer didn't attach an editorial comment to Mr. Steed's letter pointing out at the very least that this method of cleaning could be detrimental to some grave markers. Evidently they need a little education themselves and I hope you or someone can enlighten them. For more years than I care to admit I have been involved in updating old surveys or enumerations of several very old cemeteries here in East Texas as well as having taken on the task of attempting to photograph all military markers in all cemeteries in the county. During this time I have encountered two occasions of so-called cleaning by someone in a cemetery. One involved a lady who was using what looked like an ice scrapper in attempting to remove lichen from a granite marker. I didn't say anything to her because I couldn't help but think it was her husband's monument and she made no effort to clean any other monument. I was close enough to see that she wiped the monument off with a dry rag after using the scrapper. After looking at the dates on the tomb and noticing that the wife was perhaps not buried there assuming the absence of a death date was indicative of that fact, I rationalized that it was her tomb and she could do what she wanted. The second incident involves a cemetery with the oldest grave dating back to 1859. Many of the old sandstone markers are extremely difficult to read and indeed some have names and dates I can not read and I have tried mirrors and lights and various angles with the sun. But back to what I encountered. On my way to the cemetery one day I happened to stop at a nearby service station for gas and a cold drink. While there I overheard a conversation between two guys who obviously knew each other well. One of them asked the other one what had he been up to. Simple question until I heard his answer. He said well he had a little time off so he had just finished cleaning all the monuments in this certain cemetery. This was the same cemetery where I was going so I was anxious to know what he had done. When I got there it was obvious that he had power washed every monument in the cemetery including those very old sandstone markers. In fact some of them had been knocked over. On that particular day they looked nice but as I wondered around I couldn't help but notice some damage from his good intentions. Now on the education angle . . . I would like to have a list of does and don't that could be printed on something like a 6 x 9 card stock paper to be laminated to make it weather proof. Most of the rural cemeteries I am familiar with have a chain link fence around them although some do not and I believe the various cemetery associations and/or churches would permit me to place a small mail box near the entrance of the cemetery to hold those cards. I would estimate that about 99% of the folks who visit these cemeteries do not have any clue about caring for a monument. I would also make these cards available to all the monument dealers and funeral homes in this area. And of course, when the card is finalized I would submit a copy to each Historical and Genealogical Association in East Texas for publication in one of their monthly newsletters. And I suspect I could obtain the endorsement of either or both of those organizations printed on the bottom of the card. This would avoid the appearance of advertisement and would be of more significance to the general public. Since reading Mr. Steed's method of cleaning I made several phone calls today and found no one with a list of proper and improper methods of caring for or cleaning monuments. I will say there may be a list somewhere but I haven't seen one. As of today I have not undertaken to go through the archived messages on this board to compile such a list. I am hoping that someone a lot more knowledgeable about this subject than I am can point me in the right direction. It occurs to me that such a card readily available everywhere would be one of the ways to educate the public. Many of the folks who need to know these things do not own a computer, do not read magazines on the subject and never give it thought because they don't know any better. Have you got my card yet? Thanks for listening, er reading. Rex Kirby Tyler, TX -----Original Message----- From: Sheila Rooker [mailto:gravefinder2003@yahoo.com] Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 5:19 PM To: INPCRP-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [INPCRP] You won't believe this one - please help! Hello All, Hope you have all had a happy holiday. This is my 2 cents worth. Educate, Educate, Educate. We can't do enough to Educate.... Most people don't have a clue how to clean a stone. We have to stop the ones that think they do but don't really. Sheila Rhonda Stoffer <rstoffer@marion.lib.in.us> wrote: There is a letter to the editor in the Jan 2006 issue of Kentucky Explorer: Dear Editor: Cleaning grave markers in not always a hard job. Buy a pair of cheap rubber gloves, Brillo pads, and Easy Off oven cleaner and take along a bucket of water and an old-fashioned scrub brush. Spray the oven cleaner on the stone, scrub it with water and the brush, use a Brillo pad. Leave the cleaner on the marker, do not wash off. Come back in a few weeks and it will look cleaner. By repeating this process the stone will look a lot cleaner and stay that way for a long time. If you run into a tougher cleaning job, buy a cleaner that contains acid, but be careful. If you would like to take photos of the marker, buy some white chalk and run it over the names and dates, then take pictures from various distances. James Steed I called the magazine, the lady there said Mr. Steed had contributed many items and photos to the publication and he was really good. I explained that you don't use chemicals and Brillo pads on grave markers and the damage that could occur. She said she used a power washer on her stones, I explained the danger of that also. She also said that he didn't specify what type of marker he was cleaning, I explained that granite markers rarely need to be cleaned, so people would be using this technique on marble and sandstone markers. She said if I would like to write a letter to the editor they would be happy to print it. Is there anyone who is more knowledgeable than I who would like to write to them? Or, better yet, many people write to them? If not, I'll put something together. Charles Hayes, Jr, publisher Kentucky Explorer PO Box 227 Jackson, KY 41339 Thanks for your help! Rhonda Stoffer Head of Indiana History and Genealogy Services Marion Public Library ==== INPCRP Mailing List ==== Quote from William Gladstone (1809-1897), three-time Prime Minister of England and Victorian contemporary of Benjamin Disraeli: "Show me the manner in which a nation or community cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness the tender mercies of its people, their respect for the laws of the land, and their loyalty to high ideals." --------------------------------- Yahoo! Personals Single? There's someone we'd like you to meet. Lots of someones, actually. Try Yahoo! Personals ==== INPCRP Mailing List ==== To UNSUBSCRIBE, send message consisting only of "UNSUBSCRIBE" to INPCRP-L-REQUEST@rootsweb.com or to INPCRP-D-REQUEST@rootsweb.com (for DIGEST version)

Rex, http://www.rootsweb.com/~inpcrp/pcrpstepbystep.html What a great idea. These steps are listed on this page and you will find the Connecticut Gravestone Network page for cleaning. These folks have more years on their monuments that Indiana or Texas. There is also methods on the Association of Grave- stone studies site. I think about the only area not on that page is covering the mower issues. I don't think anyone has completed a page for this. Heaven know they all need education on the mowing around the old stones. Other cleaning recipes are on the Toolbox page. I think most of the links are good now. Lois did a lot of work on these pages, and we are thankful for her work. Half of the restoration job is education. The 2 books on the main page are very helpful. http://www.rootsweb.com/~inpcrp/ L.A. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rex Kirby" <rex@tyler.net> To: <INPCRP-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 10:31 PM Subject: RE: [INPCRP] You won't believe this one - please help! > Shelia, Rhonda and all, > I wholehearted agree with you but the question is how. But before I > address > that issue I would like to point out what Mr. Steed in his infinite wisdom > neglected to tell his faithful readers is that after it stays that way for > a > long time it will begin to deteriorate and there is nothing you can do > about it. He should have also advised them to be sure to take plenty of > pictures while they can because in time that's about all anyone will be > able > to read. > > It would appear to me that from his writing style he is somewhat educated > but evidently on other matters that have nothing to do with cemetery or > tombstone preservation. And I'm also puzzled why the Kentucky Explorer > didn't attach an editorial comment to Mr. Steed's letter pointing out at > the > very least that this method of cleaning could be detrimental to some grave > markers. Evidently they need a little education themselves and I hope you > or > someone can enlighten them. > > For more years than I care to admit I have been involved in updating old > surveys or enumerations of several very old cemeteries here in East Texas > as > well as having taken on the task of attempting to photograph all military > markers in all cemeteries in the county. During this time I have > encountered two occasions of so-called cleaning by someone in a cemetery. > One involved a lady who was using what looked like an ice scrapper in > attempting to remove lichen from a granite marker. I didn't say anything > to > her because I couldn't help but think it was her husband's monument and > she > made no effort to clean any other monument. I was close enough to see > that > she wiped the monument off with a dry rag after using the scrapper. After > looking at the dates on the tomb and noticing that the wife was perhaps > not > buried there assuming the absence of a death date was indicative of that > fact, I rationalized that it was her tomb and she could do what she > wanted. > > The second incident involves a cemetery with the oldest grave dating back > to > 1859. Many of the old sandstone markers are extremely difficult to read > and > indeed some have names and dates I can not read and I have tried mirrors > and > lights and various angles with the sun. But back to what I encountered. > On > my way to the cemetery one day I happened to stop at a nearby service > station for gas and a cold drink. While there I overheard a conversation > between two guys who obviously knew each other well. One of them asked > the > other one what had he been up to. Simple question until I heard his > answer. > He said well he had a little time off so he had just finished cleaning all > the monuments in this certain cemetery. This was the same cemetery where > I > was going so I was anxious to know what he had done. When I got there it > was obvious that he had power washed every monument in the cemetery > including those very old sandstone markers. In fact some of them had been > knocked over. On that particular day they looked nice but as I wondered > around I couldn't help but notice some damage from his good intentions. > > Now on the education angle . . . > I would like to have a list of does and don't that could be printed on > something like a 6 x 9 card stock paper to be laminated to make it weather > proof. Most of the rural cemeteries I am familiar with have a chain link > fence around them although some do not and I believe the various cemetery > associations and/or churches would permit me to place a small mail box > near > the entrance of the cemetery to hold those cards. I would estimate that > about 99% of the folks who visit these cemeteries do not have any clue > about > caring for a monument. I would also make these cards available to all the > monument dealers and funeral homes in this area. And of course, when the > card is finalized I would submit a copy to each Historical and > Genealogical > Association in East Texas for publication in one of their monthly > newsletters. And I suspect I could obtain the endorsement of either or > both > of those organizations printed on the bottom of the card. This would > avoid > the appearance of advertisement and would be of more significance to the > general public. Since reading Mr. Steed's method of cleaning I made > several > phone calls today and found no one with a list of proper and improper > methods of caring for or cleaning monuments. > > I will say there may be a list somewhere but I haven't seen one. As of > today I have not undertaken to go through the archived messages on this > board to compile such a list. I am hoping that someone a lot more > knowledgeable about this subject than I am can point me in the right > direction. It occurs to me that such a card readily available everywhere > would be one of the ways to educate the public. Many of the folks who > need > to know these things do not own a computer, do not read magazines on the > subject and never give it thought because they don't know any better. > > Have you got my card yet? > > Thanks for listening, er reading. > > Rex Kirby > Tyler, TX > > -----Original Message----- > From: Sheila Rooker [mailto:gravefinder2003@yahoo.com] > Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 5:19 PM > To: INPCRP-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [INPCRP] You won't believe this one - please help! > > Hello All, > > Hope you have all had a happy holiday. This is my 2 cents worth. > Educate, > Educate, Educate. We can't do enough to Educate.... Most people don't have > a > clue how to clean a stone. We have to stop the ones that think they do but > don't really. > Sheila > > Rhonda Stoffer <rstoffer@marion.lib.in.us> wrote: > There is a letter to the editor in the Jan 2006 issue of Kentucky > Explorer: > > Dear Editor: > > Cleaning grave markers in not always a hard job. Buy a pair of > cheap rubber gloves, Brillo pads, and Easy Off oven cleaner and take > along a bucket of water and an old-fashioned scrub brush. Spray the oven > cleaner on the stone, scrub it with water and the brush, use a Brillo > pad. Leave the cleaner on the marker, do not wash off. Come back in a > few weeks and it will look cleaner. By repeating this process the stone > will look a lot cleaner and stay that way for a long time. > > If you run into a tougher cleaning job, buy a cleaner that > contains acid, but be careful. > > If you would like to take photos of the marker, buy some white > chalk and run it over the names and dates, then take pictures from > various distances. > > James Steed > > I called the magazine, the lady there said Mr. Steed had contributed > many items and photos to the publication and he was really good. I > explained that you don't use chemicals and Brillo pads on grave markers > and the damage that could occur. She said she used a power washer on her > stones, I explained the danger of that also. She also said that he > didn't specify what type of marker he was cleaning, I explained that > granite markers rarely need to be cleaned, so people would be using this > technique on marble and sandstone markers. She said if I would like to > write a letter to the editor they would be happy to print it. Is there > anyone who is more knowledgeable than I who would like to write to them? > Or, better yet, many people write to them? If not, I'll put something > together. > > Charles Hayes, Jr, publisher > Kentucky Explorer > PO Box 227 > Jackson, KY 41339 > > Thanks for your help! > > Rhonda Stoffer > Head of Indiana History and Genealogy Services > Marion Public Library > > > > ==== INPCRP Mailing List ==== > Quote from William Gladstone (1809-1897), three-time Prime Minister of > England and Victorian contemporary of Benjamin Disraeli: > "Show me the manner in which a nation or community > cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical > exactness the tender mercies of its people, their > respect for the laws of the land, and their loyalty > to high ideals." > > > > > > --------------------------------- > Yahoo! Personals > Single? There's someone we'd like you to meet. > Lots of someones, actually. Try Yahoo! Personals > > > ==== INPCRP Mailing List ==== > To UNSUBSCRIBE, send message consisting only of > "UNSUBSCRIBE" to INPCRP-L-REQUEST@rootsweb.com > or to INPCRP-D-REQUEST@rootsweb.com (for DIGEST version) > > > ==== INPCRP Mailing List ==== > To UNSUBSCRIBE, send message consisting only of > "UNSUBSCRIBE" to INPCRP-L-REQUEST@rootsweb.com > or to INPCRP-D-REQUEST@rootsweb.com (for DIGEST version) > >