Ruth and Dave, I checked my German Genealogy Research Guide for Alnam Augustam Iddam and found only this: Augustam [Latin accusative] - feminine given name Augusta The ending "am" is the feminine accusative given name suffix.; e.g. Mariam for Maria, so the other -am words could also be the feminine accusative form of other names. Maybe Alna and Ida??? It does not have the other words. Is this name or phrase written or printed in calligraphy or an Old English "Biblical-looking" type? Sometimes those are hard to read and a letter might be mistaken for another. What does it say before and after this phrase? I also looked up various words in the German Genealogy Research Guide regarding Dave's phrase: Hier Ruhen in Gott Die Durch Morderhand Dem Tode Uberlieferten Eheleute Bonacker hier - here; hier [Lat.] - yesterday Ruh; Ruhe [rest] Gott - God; also godparent Gött - [male] baptismal sponsor; godfather die - the, on or day durch - through Mörder - [male] murderer hand - hand dem - the Tod - death Tote - dead person; [female] baptismal sponsor; godmother; child being baptized; godchild überliefert - passed along; handed down [could mean "passed away"] Eheleute - married couple; married people Bonacker [surname meaning bean field] I think the "die durch morderhard dem tode" could mean manslaughter or something like that. The German Geneology Research Guide is not a full dictionary. Thinking of the Spanish "de todo" I also wondered if "dem tode" might mean "of all" or "of both" .the couple Bonacker. Judy