Forgive me for multiple county postings, but I wanted to get this to as many people as possible. It seems to me there's no group better prepared to locate tombstones than a bunch of genealogists! There is an article in the May-June issue of American Scientist, a professional journal, requesting help in locating gravestones made of whetstone. Yes, this is the same material that's used to sharpen knives. I didn't know it was ever used for gravestones, but it would be a lot more durable than limestone or marble and possibly more so than granite. There is a photo of a stone from 1849 and the inscription is quite clear. The stone is a medium gray-brown color, and would be relatively smooth to the touch. Erik Kvale, of the Indiana Geological Survey, has been trying to trace 19th century commerce in the type of whetstone found in Orange County, Indiana. Some went by barge as far away as New Orleans, but so far he has examples only from southern Indiana and southeastern Illinois. He asks that anyone finding what they think is a whetstone tombstone email him at : [email protected] or snail mail to: Indiana University, Indiana Geological Survey, 611 N. Walnut Grove, Bloomington, IN 47405. Vanette Hobbs Hamilton