I've done grave-dowsing or witching. I use wires with plastic flag on the end, sold by USDA offices, and bend them on the flag end to make a handle. Hold them straight out in front, and they will cross when going over a grave. Also have a stainless steel tile probe which I use to find stones underground. Knowing how wide the grave space is, and usually the stone on the west end of the grave, helps. Footstones sometimes prove the correct location of a grave when the headstone gets misplaced. Robert Webb Primitive Baptist Library Carthage, Illinois http://www.carthage.lib.il.us/community/churches/primbap/pbl.html On Thu, 03 May 2007 14:43:48 -0400 "Max Ward" <max.ward@verizon.net> writes: > I talked to the Natchez Cemetery director, who told me how he made > his > device: two metal cylinders, two heavy coat hanger wires bent at 90 > degrees, > that fit into the cylinders. He practiced for about 30 days, using > the > process that you can find online. I'm going to try it out myself > (one of the > benefits of being semi-retired) on a local cemetery. If I don't get > arrested, I'll let everyone know what I find out in about 30 days. > > Max > > -----Original Message----- > From: nydelawa-bounces@rootsweb.com > [mailto:nydelawa-bounces@rootsweb.com] > On Behalf Of Pat Coyle > Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 2:29 PM > To: nydelawa@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [NYDELAWA] Missing Stones in Cemetery - Dowsing > > You will see that if you do "google" that there is quite a lot about > > it at various sights. Quite interesting! > > At 01:34 PM 5/3/2007, you wrote: > >I had never heard of this, although a year or so ago, there was > talk of a > >machine that could be used to detect graves - problem was that the > land > >needed to be fairly flat to use it. I believe that it is something > like a > >mower. > > > >I would love to know more about this dowsing. I intend to "google" > it now. > >It would be great to have with me as I walk some of the older > cemeteries. > > > >Rene' > >list administrator > > > >-------Original Message------- > > > >From: Max Ward > >Date: 5/3/2007 1:08:54 PM > >To: nydelawa@rootsweb.com > >Subject: Re: [NYDELAWA] Missing Stones in Cemetery > > > >There must be something to it. All I can imagine is that you are > detecting > >some variation in the density of an object buried 6 feet below, > perhaps if > >the object is considerably longer than it is wide? > > > > > > > > > > > > To contact list administrator send email to > nydelawa-admin@rootsweb.com > >------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > >NYDELAWA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > >the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > ***************************************************** > To contact list administrator send email to > nydelawa-admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NYDELAWA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message > > > To contact list administrator send email to > nydelawa-admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NYDELAWA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

Rene', I'm also going to contact the director of the Natchez City Cemetery to find out more about the device he used. I'll post the information I find. Max -----Original Message----- From: nydelawa-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:nydelawa-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Rene' Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 1:35 PM To: nydelawa@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [NYDELAWA] Missing Stones in Cemetery - Dowsing I had never heard of this, although a year or so ago, there was talk of a machine that could be used to detect graves - problem was that the land needed to be fairly flat to use it. I believe that it is something like a mower. I would love to know more about this dowsing. I intend to "google" it now. It would be great to have with me as I walk some of the older cemeteries. Rene' list administrator -------Original Message------- From: Max Ward Date: 5/3/2007 1:08:54 PM To: nydelawa@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [NYDELAWA] Missing Stones in Cemetery There must be something to it. All I can imagine is that you are detecting some variation in the density of an object buried 6 feet below, perhaps if the object is considerably longer than it is wide? To contact list administrator send email to nydelawa-admin@rootsweb.com ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NYDELAWA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Now I have to add my two cents worth. Dowsing rods do work. That is, for some unexplained reason they will cross over themselves. I've been in the excavating business most of my life and have used dowsing rods many times. They do detect something. At times. They are not infallible. They will tell you lies. And if someone tells you he knows what is down in the ground from the action of the rods, he's lying. I have located plastic, copper, clay and iron pipes. Telephone, electric. gas, water and sewer lines. But the rods won't tell you what it is or how deep. And there are times when they cross as if there is something buried and nothing is ever found. Do not trust them, but only use them as a guide to a possibility there is something buried. Over the 40 years I've used them I have pondered why this action of the rods happens. I have used rods made from steel, coat hangers, baling wire and bronze welding rod, even the little flags the utility companies use to mark the location of their services, etc. Anything works it appears. The only answer I can come up with is the earth is a large magnetic ball. Whenever we disturb a few feet of the surface of the earth we disturb the magnetic path of the skin of the old globe. At this disruption of the earths skin by excavation, the magnetic pull is disturbed and this causes the rods to cross themselves and when you pass by the disruption they will again align themselves parallel to each other. Go grab a couple of metal coat hangers, cut off the hooked part, length is not important. Straighten the hanger out as best as you can. About 6-8 inches from one end, bend the hanger to form a 90 degree angle. Lightly grasp the short part of the bent hanger in a closed fist, one in each hand. Don't grip it tight, just enough to keep from dropping it. Now, with your arms placed at your side to help stabilize your arms, balance the rod in your hands so that the long portion of the hanger points away from your body and are parallel to each other. This takes some juggling of your arms and hands and wrists. Somewhere that you know there is a buried utility line, as mentioned above, walk slow, steadily and smoothly, keeping. the rods parallel and horizontal, and cross the buried object perpendicular to the direction of the ditch. The rods should cross when you pass over the ditch and should return to parallel after you pass by the ditch. Most of you have water and sewer lines entering the front or rear of your home. Give it a try. Larry

I had never heard of this, although a year or so ago, there was talk of a machine that could be used to detect graves - problem was that the land needed to be fairly flat to use it. I believe that it is something like a mower. I would love to know more about this dowsing. I intend to "google" it now. It would be great to have with me as I walk some of the older cemeteries. Rene' list administrator -------Original Message------- From: Max Ward Date: 5/3/2007 1:08:54 PM To: nydelawa@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [NYDELAWA] Missing Stones in Cemetery There must be something to it. All I can imagine is that you are detecting some variation in the density of an object buried 6 feet below, perhaps if the object is considerably longer than it is wide?

There must be something to it. All I can imagine is that you are detecting some variation in the density of an object buried 6 feet below, perhaps if the object is considerably longer than it is wide? -----Original Message----- From: nydelawa-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:nydelawa-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Dick Dodge Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 1:01 PM To: nydelawa@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [NYDELAWA] Missing Stones in Cemetery Several years ago while at a library in a small Tennessee town, an elderly lady told my wife & I about "dowsing" and gave us the tools to try it. We tried it at the Houston Family Cemetery in Tennessee where we knew one grave was empty. To our surprise, the device indicated that each grave had a body except the known empty one. The empty grave was that of a lady who had been married twice, her name was on the headstone of each husband; the husbands were buried in two different cemeteries several miles apart. She was buried beside her first husband and not her second husband in the Houston Family Cemetery. Dick To contact list administrator send email to nydelawa-admin@rootsweb.com ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NYDELAWA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Several years ago while at a library in a small Tennessee town, an elderly lady told my wife & I about "dowsing" and gave us the tools to try it. We tried it at the Houston Family Cemetery in Tennessee where we knew one grave was empty. To our surprise, the device indicated that each grave had a body except the known empty one. The empty grave was that of a lady who had been married twice, her name was on the headstone of each husband; the husbands were buried in two different cemeteries several miles apart. She was buried beside her first husband and not her second husband in the Houston Family Cemetery. Dick

To go only slightly off-topic, does anyone have any experience with "dowsing" in a cemetery? I visited the Natchez City Cemetery about a week ago and the cemetery director/caretaker took out some metal devices - cylinders with L-shaped metal rods that were free to pivot - and walked a ten-person plot to tell me that all ten positions were full. Until I saw him do it, I was sure that it was baloney, after watching him I'm not so sure. He walked across the plot and the rods pointed toward each other over the position of each coffin. Incidentally, because of the protocol of burying Husbands and wives, he was able to tell us that my wife's gg grandmother was there without a marker (a 1911 burial). Max -----Original Message----- From: nydelawa-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:nydelawa-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Rene' Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 11:18 AM To: nydelawa@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [NYDELAWA] Missing Stones in Cemetery Everyone, Remember that just because stones are not in a cemetery, does not mean that the person(s) are not there. Some people didn't have stones for one reason or another, or the stones are just plain missing. You have to take into account all sources. If you have an obit that says the person is there, or death records etc. You also have to remember that listings of cemetery records are transcriptions. These transcriptions were done by humans and we all make mistakes, this is really important to remember when looking at any records, just as was discussed a couple of days ago. Also just because you have walked a cemetery and don't find the stone, there are many different reasons a stone might not be there, just because it isn't doesn't mean that the person isn't buried there. Just some thoughts, Rene' List Administrator -------Original Message------- From: AsaK@aol.com Date: 5/3/2007 12:11:30 AM To: nydelawa@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [NYDELAWA] St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Deposit I visited the St. Joseph's rectory and they were extremely helpful. They made me a cup of tea and let me browse through their marriage and burial books to find my Moran relatives. I took digital photos of the entries (no photocopier), so I didn't have to transcribe everything and it took a lot less time. I got there on a weekday, with no prior notice to them. Sending a letter in advance would be an excellent idea. I also visited the cemetery, but several relatives that should have had tombstones there weren't found. That's still a mystery to me. Anyway, good luck with your research. Asa Gage To contact list administrator send email to nydelawa-admin@rootsweb.com ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NYDELAWA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Dear All: Aside, the flip side of this is that there maybe a monument, but no burial beneath the stone. It is then, a memorial, and more investigation to be done. I have six burials of family in one plot in an operating cemetery. Three members had the resources for a stone, but for whatever reason, it was not done at those three separate burial occasions. Investigation at the church showed all names, where everyone was placed, dates, etc. In my own experience, I found the cemetery deeds for plots my great grandparents and parents' had bought. These deeds get over looked. After investigation, one might find an open, available space for future burial(s) and the opportunity for a stone to be made then to name all who are buried together. ~Valerie --- Rene' <rtreff@stny.rr.com> wrote: > Everyone, > > Remember that just because stones are not in a > cemetery, does not mean that > the person(s) are not there. Some people didn't > have stones for one reason > or another, or the stones are just plain missing. > > You have to take into account all sources. If you > have an obit that says > the person is there, or death records etc. You also > have to remember that > listings of cemetery records are transcriptions. > These transcriptions were > done by humans and we all make mistakes, this is > really important to > remember when looking at any records, just as was > discussed a couple of days > ago. > > Also just because you have walked a cemetery and > don't find the stone, there > are many different reasons a stone might not be > there, just because it isn't > doesn't mean that the person isn't buried there. > > Just some thoughts, > Rene' > List Administrator > > -------Original Message------- > > From: AsaK@aol.com > Date: 5/3/2007 12:11:30 AM > To: nydelawa@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [NYDELAWA] St. Joseph's Catholic > Church, Deposit > > I visited the St. Joseph's rectory and they were > extremely helpful. They > made me a cup of tea and let me browse through their > marriage and burial > books > to find my Moran relatives. I took digital photos > of the entries (no > photocopier), so I didn't have to transcribe > everything and it took a lot > less time. > > I got there on a weekday, with no prior notice to > them. Sending a letter > in > advance would be an excellent idea. > > I also visited the cemetery, but several relatives > that should have had > tombstones there weren't found. That's still a > mystery to me. > > Anyway, good luck with your research. > > Asa Gage > > > > To contact list administrator send email to > nydelawa-admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email > to NYDELAWA-request@rootsweb.com with the word > 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and > the body of the message > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

Everyone, Remember that just because stones are not in a cemetery, does not mean that the person(s) are not there. Some people didn't have stones for one reason or another, or the stones are just plain missing. You have to take into account all sources. If you have an obit that says the person is there, or death records etc. You also have to remember that listings of cemetery records are transcriptions. These transcriptions were done by humans and we all make mistakes, this is really important to remember when looking at any records, just as was discussed a couple of days ago. Also just because you have walked a cemetery and don't find the stone, there are many different reasons a stone might not be there, just because it isn't doesn't mean that the person isn't buried there. Just some thoughts, Rene' List Administrator -------Original Message------- From: AsaK@aol.com Date: 5/3/2007 12:11:30 AM To: nydelawa@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [NYDELAWA] St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Deposit I visited the St. Joseph's rectory and they were extremely helpful. They made me a cup of tea and let me browse through their marriage and burial books to find my Moran relatives. I took digital photos of the entries (no photocopier), so I didn't have to transcribe everything and it took a lot less time. I got there on a weekday, with no prior notice to them. Sending a letter in advance would be an excellent idea. I also visited the cemetery, but several relatives that should have had tombstones there weren't found. That's still a mystery to me. Anyway, good luck with your research. Asa Gage

Although the church had a record of my grandparents' burials in St. Joseph's cemetery, there were no stones until I put them there. When he died, in 1938, money was tight and stones expensive. I don't think this was uncommon. Ann ----- Original Message ----- From: <AsaK@aol.com> To: <nydelawa@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 11:09 PM Subject: Re: [NYDELAWA] St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Deposit >I visited the St. Joseph's rectory and they were extremely helpful. They > made me a cup of tea and let me browse through their marriage and burial > books > to find my Moran relatives. I took digital photos of the entries (no > photocopier), so I didn't have to transcribe everything and it took a lot > less time. > > I got there on a weekday, with no prior notice to them. Sending a letter > in > advance would be an excellent idea. > > I also visited the cemetery, but several relatives that should have had > tombstones there weren't found. That's still a mystery to me. > > Anyway, good luck with your research. > > Asa Gage > > > > ************************************** See what's free at > http://www.aol.com. > To contact list administrator send email to nydelawa-admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NYDELAWA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

I visited the St. Joseph's rectory and they were extremely helpful. They made me a cup of tea and let me browse through their marriage and burial books to find my Moran relatives. I took digital photos of the entries (no photocopier), so I didn't have to transcribe everything and it took a lot less time. I got there on a weekday, with no prior notice to them. Sending a letter in advance would be an excellent idea. I also visited the cemetery, but several relatives that should have had tombstones there weren't found. That's still a mystery to me. Anyway, good luck with your research. Asa Gage ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

I will be in Deposit for three weeks this month ... I am a Catholic and will be attending mass there when they have it ... but the parish is very small and they only have one mass a week ... so I often have to go to a neighboring town for mass when there ... but there is also a Catholic Cemetery in Deposit ... do you need a look-up ... it is a small cemetery on the side of a hill on the road leading into town coming from the west ... I have been to it many times ... but just a couple my ancestors are buried their ... my people were all Bapitists and Protestants ... my mother was the convert ... John A Los Angeles, CA -----Original Message----- From: KGFrontier@aol.com To: NYDELAWA@rootsweb.com Sent: Wed, 2 May 2007 2:42 PM Subject: [NYDELAWA] St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Deposit I would like to research the records of this church. Does anyone know if there have been copies and/or transcripts made of the records? Is it possible to make an appointment to view them? My calls to the church have gone unanswered. I understand that my research is a low priority for them ;-), but I'm sure their books hold valuable information for me. And of course, I would make a donation. Do any of you locals know a way to access these records? Thanks! Karen Karen Mauer Green 113 Pioneer St. Cooperstown, NY 13326 ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. To contact list administrator send email to nydelawa-admin@rootsweb.com ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NYDELAWA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ________________________________________________________________________ AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.

I have a cousin who now lives in Afton. Until a couple of years ago, he had always lived in Masonville. Several years ago, I walked with him through the Masonville Cemetery (I believe it is on Pine Street, behind the old Mill) and carried a tape recorder as we walked. It is like he knows everyone in that cemetery! Was very informative, and then I later found out that my recorder was not operating correctly, and all was lost. Is there anyone that lives in the area that would be willing to walk with him through this cemetery again and see if we can save what he knows about these people? I live in Dunnellon, Florida and just can't seem to be able to get there to do it again myself. If anyone can help, I will try to help arrangements to get you together with him. He is in his 70s and I want to keep this info available. Thanks, Dave Seely ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

I would like to research the records of this church. Does anyone know if there have been copies and/or transcripts made of the records? Is it possible to make an appointment to view them? My calls to the church have gone unanswered. I understand that my research is a low priority for them ;-), but I'm sure their books hold valuable information for me. And of course, I would make a donation. Do any of you locals know a way to access these records? Thanks! Karen Karen Mauer Green 113 Pioneer St. Cooperstown, NY 13326 ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

About ten years ago I contacted the church and the person who responded to my letter at the time was very helpful. Unfortunately, I don't remember her name. She gave me the burial information for my grandparents and uncle and even the information from my grandfather's death certificate. Since I learned that perpetual care had been ordered but not paid for, I of course made an appropriate donation, but the information was freely given. I didn't ask about any other records because my family had moved there after any births, marriages, etc., but I'd suggest you keep trying. I've found that a letter is often more effective than a phone call, at least to initiate contact. Ann ----- Original Message ----- From: <KGFrontier@aol.com> To: <NYDELAWA@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 4:42 PM Subject: [NYDELAWA] St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Deposit >I would like to research the records of this church. Does anyone know if > there have been copies and/or transcripts made of the records? Is it > possible to > make an appointment to view them? > > My calls to the church have gone unanswered. I understand that my research > is a low priority for them ;-), but I'm sure their books hold valuable > information for me. And of course, I would make a donation. > > Do any of you locals know a way to access these records? > > Thanks! > > Karen > > Karen Mauer Green > 113 Pioneer St. > Cooperstown, NY 13326 > > > > > ************************************** See what's free at > http://www.aol.com. > To contact list administrator send email to nydelawa-admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NYDELAWA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

Can I Change My E-mail Address on a List? You're searching through the mailing list archives and find some of your old posts with an outdated e-mail address. Can you change it? After reading Joan Young's article last week on searching the mailing list archive, many people did just this. Joan and I have received this question from many users. The answer? No. The list archives simply preserve what was posted on any given day. If you want to update an e-mail address, the best way is to make a new post to the list and provide your current e-mail address. You may also wish to include the surnames you made posts about, so that someone searching for that surname will see both your old and new addresses. But what about message boards? Some outdated e-mail addresses on old message board posts can be updated by virtue of My Account. Since My Account was introduced to the site last spring, users are required to sign in before making a post on a message board. My Account associates a username and an e-mail address; to update an e-mail address on an old post all you have to do is change it in My Account and any posts associated with the username will automatically be updated with the new e-mail address. What about messages created before My Account? These will be updated as well, so long as you were a registered user and logged in before making your old posts. If you were registered but did not log in to post, or were an unregistered user, there is no way for your old posts to be identified and updated.

That would be great but we spell Nicoli not she if its the same but worth checking into Thank you Joyce ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

Hi, I have quite a bit on the Nicolle family and will be happy to e-mail it to you. I am tangentially related, but I know a Nicoll descendent who is not on internet but who has a lot of info and I can give you her address if you contact me directly. Louise I will under separate cover send you the genealogy I have.

Hello all, Is anyone researching the Nicoll family from Bovina/Andes? James Nicoll was born 1830, son of Andrew and Margaret (George) Nicoll. About 1858 James married Rachel B. Robinson/Robson, born 1830 in Bovina. They had four daughters, Mary, Jenett, Bella and Lillie. They are both buried in the Andes Rural Cemetery. I would really appreciate any information about them and their families. 1880 New York Fed Census, Bovina, Delaware County, page 29?, line 38, dw17 House 38 Nicoll, James M 49 farmer b Scotland fb Scotland mb Scotland Rachiel F 50 keeping house b New York fb England mb New York Mary A F 21 school teacher b New York fb Scotland mb New York Jessie M F 19, b New York, fb Scotland, mb New York Bella J F 15, b New York, fb Scotland, mb New York Lillie S F 11- b New York, fb Scotland, mb New York I would really appreciate any information about them and their families. Thank you, Margie

Is anyone researching the family of Rensselaer (b. March 16, 1821 Colchester - d. June 27, 1889 Waterloo, IA) and Rebecca Sherwood Hitt (b. June 30, 1818/19 Roxbury - d. February 9, 1896 Waterloo, IA)? Attempting to prove or disprove her relationship to the family of Moses and Sarah/Sally Keator Sherwood. There is a strong possibility that she may be one of their children. Her obituary does not provide the names of her parents. Hopeful to come up with their marriage record. Sue