Grave Marker Cleaning

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We genealogists/family historians visit cemeteries on a regular basis and are saddened by the looks of the grave markers. Some kind of fungi, moss or other unknown growth is covering the lettering making reading of names & dates almost impossible. There is a product that I have just recently became aware of for an environmentally safe cleaning solution that will not damage the stones! [Disclaimer: I am not endorsing the product... I have not used it, nor do I personally know anyone that has used it. The Tri-State Genealogical Society has no affiliation or knowledge of this product's claims of what it will do. Another similar product is BioWash by Prosoco.]

Don Counts sent me an email on the product to post on this blog... being the sceptic that I am, I mentioned to Don that I would post this, but first I need to know if this is a legitimate product & firm and I should know how much it costs. Our TSGS President (Don) is very good at looking things up on the Internet and fired back answers to my questions. Here is the MSDS sheet for the product D/2 Biological Solution: http://www.simplegreen.com/pdfs/MSDS_EN-US_D2BiologicalSolution.pdf and here is the Better Business Bureau's review & rating of the manufacture:http://www.bbb.org/us/Find-Business-Reviews/name/Sunshine+Makers+Inc/
I just called the company, since their website did not list any prices. You have to log-in to make an order to see pricing choices then confirm to make an order. However, she said that for a 5-gallon container it sales (without tax & shipping) approximately $200. Which is expensive, but if you can get the results demonstrated, the product is of a great value.

The distributor of the product is: Cathedral Stone Products http://www.cathedralstone.com/products/solution.aspx . On their site I found a nice 2-minute video from the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery showing cadets and civilian volunteers cleaning cemetery grave markers: http://www.cathedralstone.com/products/video_cemetery.aspx

This is the claim they make:
D/2 Biological Solution
Would you ever consider using harsh chemicals to remove biological growth from the Acropolis, the Alamo, or the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier? Neither would we. For these significant historic structures, restoration professionals used D/2 Biological Solution—a nonabrasive, environmentally safe option that keeps most surfaces growth-free for a minimum of one year. A short contact time removes a wide range of biological deposits (like fungi, algae, lichens and mosses) from all surfaces. Need a safe and easy way to remove and prevent biological growth? Cathedral Stone® has the solution.

"Lasts five times longer than bleach, peroxide or powerwashing Biodegradable - Safe for masonry, landscape plantings and grass."

- Compiled by JGWest with some links provided by Don Counts.

Tombstone Thursday - Cruse

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Clarasa Cruse...
the 18 year old daughter of Prosser Cruse & Sarah Francis Ferguson buried in Bacon Creek Cemetery in Hammonsville, Hart County, Kentucky.Clarasa's sister Elizabeth Cruse married Anderson H. Gardner; and, they are my 2nd. Great Grandparents.

- JGWest

[Tombstone Thursday is dedicated in memory of Donald G. West 1952-2000]

NAVIGATING ALONG the RIVER - Research Tips

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Ok! I know...
you are asking what is this photo about?

During our last TSGS meeting, I was taking photos for the blog of different things going on during the meeting. While I was up front by Lyn Martin's desk at Willard Library taking a photo of those in attendance, I looked down and noticed this small stack of new booklets covering some 1700's court information from Maryland. Having several lines in Maryland in the 1700's I just took a photo of the books to remind me later that these will be on the shelves in the near future that I will look for!

My research tip is probably used by a lot of family historians these days with the great digital cameras available. The tip is to take photos with your digital cameras for info you might normally use a photocopier to save the information to bring home. Caution: remember that a camera flash may be distracting to other patrons in the library or courthouse.

Do you remember those old detective/spy TV shows where they would sneak into the records in some office in the dark and using their little spy camera to photograph the pertinent files and used later in court? We can do that, too... only during day time! Digital cameras can take hundreds of photos and you can check to see if you got a good image.

Happy spying...er... I mean documenting your research!

- JGWest

"What is on the flip side?"

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As time passes by, I realize more & more why I often have "brick walls" in my genealogy research! I run into these barriers that keep me from learning more... mostly because I am careless and fail to look where I need to check. I am reminded of the saying: "leave no stone unturned." How often do we forget to look on the "flip-side" (back side) of such things as old photographs, documents or stone markers!

Yesterday, for "Monument Monday" I posted a photo of a Viet Nam Memorial Plaque that I had stumbled upon on the Downtown Walkway while I was taking pictures of the new arena being constructed. From the photo I had noticed that there was not a dedication date or date of erecting the marker. Several bloggers noted that the dedication date was on the back side of the monument! Don Counts sent me a photo! I have posted that today. As the commentator Paul Harvey used to say, "Now for the Rest of the Story!" the monument was dedicated on 29 Jan 1973 and the back side lists a dozen more Viet Nam War soldiers killed in that war.
Don also sent us the picture of him kneeling in front of the new memorial for Viet Nam soldiers. I wonder if anything is on the back of this marker! [Click on photos to get larger images.]Note the new memorial is located near the Ohio River Plaza, not far from the museum. The building in the background is a pump station for the Evansville/Vanderburgh Levee Authority District (EVLAD).
- Photos taken & submitted by Donald R. Counts

Marker/Plaque/Monument Monday - Viet Nam War

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This plaque is at the dead end of the brick Main Street west of the Civic Center. As you look at this plaque you are facing the north end of the new Ford Center (photo was taken while the arena was still fenced in during construction).

[Click on photo to get a larger image to read names.]

In Memoriam Vanderburgh County Servicemen Killed In Viet Nam erected by the Downtown Civitan Club (no date).

- Photo taken by JGWest

Warrick County 4-H Awards Banquet 2012

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TSGS President Don Counts & TSGS Vice-President John G. West present the Glenda K. Trapp Memorial Award Certificate to a very proud young lady - Madison McClane. The award is sponsored by the Tri-State Genealogical Society. Madison was recognized for her achievement in the 4-H Genealogy Project in Warrick Co., Indiana. John as the TSGS 4-H Coordinator presents this award in Vanderburgh and surrounding counties each year.John also serves as the Indiana Society Sons of the American Revolution state chair of the 4-H Youth Awards Program and annually presents an SAR Outstanding Citizenship Lapel Pin. This year's winner is Abigail Clark pictured below. John & Don also serve as state officers for the Indiana SAR Society. For many years John wore his Revolutionary War uniform to present this award. Then when presenting the TSGS genealogy award, John would say "switching hats" but did not have a different hat. This year John wore western attire (as did President Counts) to have a hat that might better match 4-H and then when awarding the SAR Citizenship award John put on a tri-corn hat worn by the Colonist during the Revolutionary War.TSGS members: Ken Gilkey, Peggy Gilkey, Betty Counts & TSGS Program Chair Becky West attended the awards event, as well.

- Photographers were Ken & Peggy Gilkey and Betty Counts