BAKER COUNTY CEMETERIES
RECORDING OF A CEMETERY
By Thelma Greene Reagan
Today we walked where others walked
Today our hearts were touched
Today we saw where the grandparents lay
Today we wondered about an unmarked spot;
Today we saw where Mom and Dad lay.
Today we recorded for kith and kin
Cherish it, my friend; preserve it, my friend,
Oh the cemetery where great-grandfather lays
That was the good times of the past
Author Unknown
On a lonely, windswept hill;
Today we talked where other cried
For Loved Ones whose lives are stilled.
By graves of tiny babies;
Snatched from the arms of loving kin,
In the heartbreak of the ages.
In the last sleep of their time;
Lying under the trees and clouds -
Their beds kissed by the sun and wind.
Who lies beneath this hollowed ground?
Was it a babe, child, young or old?
No indication could be found.
We had been here once before
On a day we'd all like to forget,
But will remember forever more.
The graves of ancestors past;
To be preserved for generations hence,
A record we hope will last.
For stones sometimes crumble to dust
And generations of folks yet to come
Will be grateful for your trust.
With many quiet sounds and early morning haze
Many was the time I looked in awe
Along with my daddy and maw
At the many graves in neat long rows
Spring was cleanup time with rakes and hoes
Then came the white sand and flowers
And just finishing up before the evening showers
What is left of the cemetery will not last
The mean and ugly future is closing in
The neat old cemetery cannot win
Now the cemetery is destroyed and sad
I could have recorded it, I wish I had
GRAVE DOWSING
One of the biggest obstacles facing a genealogist is being unable to locate the burial site of an ancestor. Although we may have an idea of where this ancestor is buried, we have no proof. Grave dowsing cannot give us the name of the person buried in any un-marked grave, but it can identify the locations of unmarked graves within a cemetery or lot. You may find that the dowsing rods respond differently for you Than someone else, which is why it is extremely important that you practice and develop your own technique.
MAKING DOWSING RODS
There are several ways to make dowsing rods, but I have only used one of these methods, that is the method that I will recommend.
First, you can start with 2 metal coat hangers. Cut them at the neck just before the point where they join to form the hook of the hanger.
Second, straighten each hanger.
Third, once the hangers are straight, make a 90-degree bend for the handles.��The handles can be 3 to 5 inches long depending size of hand.
Other material: You can make them out of copper rod, heavy copper wire small copper tubing.
Handles: You can make a sleeve for the handles. This will give free wheeling to the rods. Hands will not restrict movement. Use a copper line a little larger than the coat hanger or other rod. Extend the hanger a little below the bottom of the sleeve, then slightly bend the end enough so the rod will not come out of the sleeve. Another sleeve material is a car brake line.
DOWSING
Hold the rods lightly in your hands, with elbows at your waist and arms parallel to the ground. The rods should be held straight out, parallel to the ground and parallel with each other. Do not hold your thumbs over the bend of the handle, this will restrict movement. Let them turn loosely in your hands.
Walk very slowly onto the suspected area, the rods will cross in front of you when you are over the grave. Once you leave the grave the rods will uncross.
Practice makes perfect.