Some more suggestions for "equipment" while hunting graves: 1 metal probe (sort of like a tire iron that you can stick into the ground in the "plot" where they are supposed to be...to find buried markers. 2. Armor-all for cleaning the metal markers given out by the government to veterans. 3. A hat - it doesn't always rain...sometimes the sun shines brightly on our work and makes it darn near unbearable. A hat also makes it easier to see in the sun - at least for me. 3. A flag. Which you can stick into the hole made by your probe when you're successful. So it will make it easier to locate the same grave the next time. Ok, I have a question - suppose you find a "buried" head stone? Do most cemeteries have rules about excavating those? Do they do it? Will they let you do it? What has been everyone's experience? I ask that because my Great Aunt Annie insisted for years that the grave the cemetary said were her father's and her mother's were wrong. There's no marker (on either plot). GAAnnie is gone now and I have no clue where she thought they were buried but I do have the cemetary map so I'd like to "Probe" where they are supposed to be and see if there are any grave stones. Too bad I didn't go with her when I was old enough to remember where she thought they were. But she died when I was 23 and I had not gotten too interested in genealogy yet. Shame on me. Beth