This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: talesofthesevenseas Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.tennessee.counties.hawkins/9539.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: This can be a tough one, as many times burials were not in formal cemeteries but out on private land and markers were sometimes destroyed by cattle, weather and vandalism. What I would suggest is if you cannot locate your ancestor in any nearby formal burials, try mailing or even going door to door to the private landholders in the area, clearly stating your interests are for genealogical and historical purposes. I had a very lucky discovery this way. I had contacted the decendents of a Civil War ancestor, looking for a photograph of the ancestor. Not only did they share his only known surviving photograph with me, but they were still living on the property that had passed to him from his first wife, my gr-gr-grandmother. Buried out in the far part of their land were my gr-gr-gr-grandparents. The descendents hadn't known who the people were who were buried on their land, but they had taken good care of the grave and maintained it for decades. When I had explained who I was they recognized the names and it all fell into place, that these were the in-laws of their ancestor, who had remarried. Since then they have very kindly allowed desendents access to the grave to take photographs and it has been wonderful getting to know them by mail and email. I'm hoping to make a trip out there one day. To make a long story short, don't give up if you can't find a formal cemetery. There may be a single grave on old homestead land in the places you mention. I think if you approach a landholder polietly and make your interests clear, you might be surprised how many people will be happy to help you. And is no grave can be located, I would suggest laying a wreath in the Holston River and memorialize your ancestor in this way, knowing that the wreath will have drifted by him wherever he is buried along its banks. And I'm sure he would appreciate that you would do this for him. Best wishes, Claire Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.