Even removing lichen in some cases can damage the softer stones -- you can usually identify these because they're very white and feel almost chalky to the touch. I was looking for a Confederate grave in Grundy Co. recently and I contacted the monument co. there for suggestions on how to locate it. Most of the stones in the cemetery were this white, soft sandstone and some of the really old ones (dating back to 1830's) are worn smooth. Here's what they suggested: Never use chemicals of any kind on any stone, even granite. The best thing to clean a stone with is distilled water. They said not to use tap water or well water because it is either treated with flouride or has iron, etc. in it. A soft, non-abrasive sponge is okay, but never brushes or scouring pads. They said to try not to "pull" lichen out of these types of stones because it can actually pull away part of the stone with it. For deciding what's inscribed on the stone, they suggested taking a paper bag and placing it over the stone. Then using a flashlight, you can poke your head under and get a clearer reading than in direct sunlight. I didn't try this, but this is what they suggested. My method has always been to trace over the engraving with my fingers (kind of like reading Braille). Sometimes your mind can make out what your eye can't. I take a small notebook with me when I go to the cemeteries. I write down any information about the inscription, the location of the grave (e.g. "two rows back from the south-west corner of the church", etc.), then I write down the name of the cemetery and basic directions to get there. I take pictures of the stones even if they're not legible. When I get my film developed, I take my notes from the notebook and transfer them to the back of my photos. I have a basic dime-store photo album that I keep these in so I can locate them quickly if I need to. Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth... Donna macbetty <[email protected]> wrote: Pat I really wouldn't recommend using even a plastic scraper on these old stones -- and I definately would not want any one to use the ammonia to clean them without knowing exactly what type of stone it is -- if the stones are that unreadable -- please check with the grounds keeper of the cemetery and ask him what type of stone it is and what they recommend using before doing anything further--- If you can't locate a groundskeeper -- try the local funeral home -- please do not attempt cleaning these old stones without being very cautious Betty ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pat Sommerfield" To: Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2005 6:35 AM Subject: Re: [TNMARION] please don't use chalk | Here are a couple of cemetery sites.....with do's and don'ts | Pat | | http://daddezio.com/cemetery/articles/cleaning.html | | http://www.potifos.com/cemeteries.html | | | TNMARION-D Digest Volume 05 : Issue 203 | | Today's Topics: | #1 please don't use chalk ["macbetty" #2 Finding cities, counties in variou [Donna OBrien #3 to find counties [Richard Bloss ] | #4 Re: [TNMARION] please don't use ch [[email protected]] | #5 Re: [TNMARION] please don't use ch [[email protected]] | #6 Re: [TNMARION] please don't use ch ["macbetty" | Administrivia: | To unsubscribe from TNMARION-D, send a message to | | [email protected] | | that contains in the body of the message the command | | unsubscribe | | and no other text. No subject line is necessary, but | if your software | requires one, just use unsubscribe in the subject, too. | | To contact the list administrator, send mail to Betty McBee, the TNMARION list administrator at [email protected] | | | | ______________________________Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 13:04:12 -0600 | From: "macbetty" | To: [email protected] | Subject: please don't use chalk | | Jerre Hookey sent me the following note and I do believe it is certainly important enough to pass on to all of you ------------ | | Betty, | I went to Raulston cemetery this morning to do some weedeating around my greatgrandparents graves. Raulston cemetery in located off Hwy. 2. I don't know if the following is appropriate for the Marion county site or not. | | I notice as I was going to my ancestors graves someone had been in the cemetery either making pictures of grave markers, rubbings or trying to read names better. They had covered a lot of the names with carpenter's chalk or similar material. That is a don't in the does and don'ts of reading names on grave stone. | | ______________________________Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 12:08:55 -0700 (PDT) | From: Donna OBrien | To: [email protected] | Subject: Finding cities, counties in various states | | >From another maillist. | | To find the county a particular city or town is in, try this site: | http://www.city-data.com/ | | | | Donna | | ______________________________Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 12:17:02 -0700 (PDT) | From: Richard Bloss | To: [email protected] | Subject: to find counties | | go to rootsweb.com | | on the left side down a bit is the town/county data | base. | | click there and enter town and state | | and your answer is the county | | | | | | ____________________________________________________ | Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page | http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs | | | ______________________________Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 15:28:22 EDT | From: [email protected] | To: [email protected] | Subject: Re: [TNMARION] please don't use chalk | | Hi! | | What about using baking flour? Is that ok? | | Renee | | ______________________________Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 15:39:21 EDT | From: [email protected] | To: [email protected] | Subject: Re: [TNMARION] please don't use chalk | | Whatever you use, please wash off before leaving. | Helen | | ______________________________Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 13:49:14 -0600 | From: "macbetty" | To: [email protected] | Subject: Re: [TNMARION] please don't use chalk | | yes by all means please wash it off -- does any one remember where | the site is that had the article on what you can and can't use ? | ----- Original Message ----- | From: | To: | Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2005 1:39 PM | Subject: Re: [TNMARION] please don't use chalk | | || Whatever you use, please wash off before leaving. || Helen || || || ==== TNMARION Mailing List ==== || *********************************************************************** || PLEASE NOTE: This list is for queries and replies, comments, || requests for help, and other genealogical related information || that is of interest to researchers having a connection or a || possible connection to Marion County, Tennessee. There is no || soliciting or advertising of any item or service for sale allowed. || Betty McBee - list administrator-- [email protected] . || Marion County Web Site: http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnmario2/ || *********************************************************************** || || ============================== || Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the || areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. || Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx || || || | | | | | --------------------------------- | Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page | | | ==== TNMARION Mailing List ==== | *********************************************************************** | PLEASE NOTE: This list is for queries and replies, comments, | requests for help, and other genealogical related information | that is of interest to researchers having a connection or a | possible connection to Marion County, Tennessee. There is no | soliciting or advertising of any item or service for sale allowed. | Betty McBee - list administrator-- [email protected] . | Marion County Web Site: http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnmario2/ | *********************************************************************** | | ============================== | Census images 1901, 1891, 1881 and 1871, plus so much more. | Ancestry.com's United Kingdom & Ireland Collection. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13968/rd.ashx | | | ==== TNMARION Mailing List ==== *********************************************************************** PLEASE NOTE: This list is for queries and replies, comments, requests for help, and other genealogical related information that is of interest to researchers having a connection or a possible connection to Marion County, Tennessee. There is no soliciting or advertising of any item or service for sale allowed. Betty McBee - list administrator-- [email protected] . Marion County Web Site: http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnmario2/ *********************************************************************** ============================== Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx

Donna they gave you very good advice -- I am sorry but I cracked up laughing at the putting a paper bag over the stone and the peeping under it-- can you imagine what people driving by or just walking by seeing us doing this would think? I am sure it would probably work though-- but the mirror idea sure seems to be the easiest and PLEASE absolutely use distilled water -- A lot of times, we take so much for granite, that every one knows this or that forgetting that we always have newbie's on the list -- so again thank you Betty ----- Original Message ----- From: "Donna OBrien" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2005 12:32 PM Subject: Re: [TNMARION] please don't use chalk | Even removing lichen in some cases can damage the softer stones -- you can usually identify these because they're very white and feel almost chalky to the touch. I was looking for a Confederate grave in Grundy Co. recently and I contacted the monument co. there for suggestions on how to locate it. Most of the stones in the cemetery were this white, soft sandstone and some of the really old ones (dating back to 1830's) are worn smooth. Here's what they suggested: | | Never use chemicals of any kind on any stone, even granite. The best thing to clean a stone with is distilled water. They said not to use tap water or well water because it is either treated with flouride or has iron, etc. in it. A soft, non-abrasive sponge is okay, but never brushes or scouring pads. They said to try not to "pull" lichen out of these types of stones because it can actually pull away part of the stone with it. | | For deciding what's inscribed on the stone, they suggested taking a paper bag and placing it over the stone. Then using a flashlight, you can poke your head under and get a clearer reading than in direct sunlight. I didn't try this, but this is what they suggested. | | My method has always been to trace over the engraving with my fingers (kind of like reading Braille). Sometimes your mind can make out what your eye can't. I take a small notebook with me when I go to the cemeteries. I write down any information about the inscription, the location of the grave (e.g. "two rows back from the south-west corner of the church", etc.), then I write down the name of the cemetery and basic directions to get there. I take pictures of the stones even if they're not legible. When I get my film developed, I take my notes from the notebook and transfer them to the back of my photos. I have a basic dime-store photo album that I keep these in so I can locate them quickly if I need to. | | Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth... | | Donna | | macbetty <[email protected]> wrote: | Pat I really wouldn't recommend using even a plastic scraper on | these old stones -- and I definately would not want any one to use | the ammonia to clean them without knowing exactly what type of stone | it is -- if the stones are that unreadable -- please check with the | grounds keeper of the cemetery and ask him what type of stone it is | and what they recommend using before doing anything further--- If you | can't locate a groundskeeper -- try the local funeral home -- please do | not attempt cleaning these old stones without being very cautious | Betty | ----- Original Message ----- | From: "Pat Sommerfield" | To: | Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2005 6:35 AM | Subject: Re: [TNMARION] please don't use chalk | | || Here are a couple of cemetery sites.....with do's and don'ts || Pat || || http://daddezio.com/cemetery/articles/cleaning.html || || http://www.potifos.com/cemeteries.html || || || TNMARION-D Digest Volume 05 : Issue 203 || || Today's Topics: || #1 please don't use chalk ["macbetty" #2 Finding cities, counties in | variou [Donna OBrien #3 to find counties [Richard Bloss ] || #4 Re: [TNMARION] please don't use ch [[email protected]] || #5 Re: [TNMARION] please don't use ch [[email protected]] || #6 Re: [TNMARION] please don't use ch ["macbetty" || Administrivia: || To unsubscribe from TNMARION-D, send a message to || || [email protected] || || that contains in the body of the message the command || || unsubscribe || || and no other text. No subject line is necessary, but || if your software || requires one, just use unsubscribe in the subject, too. || || To contact the list administrator, send mail to Betty McBee, the TNMARION | list administrator at [email protected] || || || || ______________________________Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 13:04:12 -0600 || From: "macbetty" || To: [email protected] || Subject: please don't use chalk || || Jerre Hookey sent me the following note and I do believe it is certainly | important enough to pass on to all of you ------------ || || Betty, || I went to Raulston cemetery this morning to do some weedeating around my | greatgrandparents graves. Raulston cemetery in located off Hwy. 2. I don't | know if the following is appropriate for the Marion county site or not. || || I notice as I was going to my ancestors graves someone had been in the | cemetery either making pictures of grave markers, rubbings or trying to read | names better. They had covered a lot of the names with carpenter's chalk or | similar material. That is a don't in the does and don'ts of reading names on | grave stone. || || ______________________________Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 12:08:55 -0700 (PDT) || From: Donna OBrien || To: [email protected] || Subject: Finding cities, counties in various states || || >From another maillist. || || To find the county a particular city or town is in, try this site: || http://www.city-data.com/ || || || || Donna || || ______________________________Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 12:17:02 -0700 (PDT) || From: Richard Bloss || To: [email protected] || Subject: to find counties || || go to rootsweb.com || || on the left side down a bit is the town/county data || base. || || click there and enter town and state || || and your answer is the county || || || || || || ____________________________________________________ || Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page || http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs || || || ______________________________Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 15:28:22 EDT || From: [email protected] || To: [email protected] || Subject: Re: [TNMARION] please don't use chalk || || Hi! || || What about using baking flour? Is that ok? || || Renee || || ______________________________Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 15:39:21 EDT || From: [email protected] || To: [email protected] || Subject: Re: [TNMARION] please don't use chalk || || Whatever you use, please wash off before leaving. || Helen || || ______________________________Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 13:49:14 -0600 || From: "macbetty" || To: [email protected] || Subject: Re: [TNMARION] please don't use chalk || || yes by all means please wash it off -- does any one remember where || the site is that had the article on what you can and can't use ? || ----- Original Message ----- || From: || To: || Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2005 1:39 PM || Subject: Re: [TNMARION] please don't use chalk || || ||| Whatever you use, please wash off before leaving. ||| Helen ||| ||| ||| ==== TNMARION Mailing List ==== ||| *********************************************************************** ||| PLEASE NOTE: This list is for queries and replies, comments, ||| requests for help, and other genealogical related information ||| that is of interest to researchers having a connection or a ||| possible connection to Marion County, Tennessee. There is no ||| soliciting or advertising of any item or service for sale allowed. ||| Betty McBee - list administrator-- [email protected] . ||| Marion County Web Site: http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnmario2/ ||| *********************************************************************** ||| ||| ============================== ||| Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the ||| areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. ||| Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx ||| ||| ||| || || || || || --------------------------------- || Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page || || || ==== TNMARION Mailing List ==== || *********************************************************************** || PLEASE NOTE: This list is for queries and replies, comments, || requests for help, and other genealogical related information || that is of interest to researchers having a connection or a || possible connection to Marion County, Tennessee. There is no || soliciting or advertising of any item or service for sale allowed. || Betty McBee - list administrator-- [email protected] . || Marion County Web Site: http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnmario2/ || *********************************************************************** || || ============================== || Census images 1901, 1891, 1881 and 1871, plus so much more. || Ancestry.com's United Kingdom & Ireland Collection. Learn more: | http://www.ancestry.com/s13968/rd.ashx || || || | | | | ==== TNMARION Mailing List ==== | *********************************************************************** | PLEASE NOTE: This list is for queries and replies, comments, | requests for help, and other genealogical related information | that is of interest to researchers having a connection or a | possible connection to Marion County, Tennessee. There is no | soliciting or advertising of any item or service for sale allowed. | Betty McBee - list administrator-- [email protected] . | Marion County Web Site: http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnmario2/ | *********************************************************************** | | ============================== | Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the | areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. | Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx | | | | | ==== TNMARION Mailing List ==== | *********************************************************************** | PLEASE NOTE: This list is for queries and replies, comments, | requests for help, and other genealogical related information | that is of interest to researchers having a connection or a | possible connection to Marion County, Tennessee. There is no | soliciting or advertising of any item or service for sale allowed. | Betty McBee - list administrator-- [email protected] . | Marion County Web Site: http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnmario2/ | *********************************************************************** | | ============================== | Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for | ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: | http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx | | |