invent4hir
Bronze Member
- Aug 1, 2017
- 1,659
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- Detector(s) used
- Whites V3i & DFX
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
Three to four times a year I’m asked to give a presentation about metal detecting and to describe some of the artifacts I’ve unearthed. When it comes time for questions and answers, it never fails that someone will want to know what it the best artifact I’ve ever found. In October 2018 that answer changed from a probable Confederate sash buckle to a caplifter from my great-great-grandmother’s coffin. As macabre as that might sound, that discovery convinced me that her grave indeed had been robbed 35 years ago. As Paul Harvey used to say “Now for the rest of the story”.
In the summer of 2018 I was researching family genealogy on-line. Upon finding my great-great-grandmother’s information the website mentioned that her grave had been dug up. Travelling to that area of the country in August, I came across a newspaper clipping from 1983 that said her grave was robbed. While the Sheriff and his Deputy at the time never found the grave robbers, they agreed the motive was greed. After reading the article I visited the cemetery that was in really bad condition. Weeds 5-6 feet tall, poison ivy everywhere, and several grave stones were lying on the ground. Seven hours were spent cleaning up as much as I could and looking for her grave. Upon find a hole 3-4 feet deep I knew I had arrived. Pictures and GPS readings were taken. After returning home I learned that both the Sheriff and his Deputy mentioned in the article had passed away. So I contacted the present day Sheriff (who wasn’t on the staff in 1983), who hadn't heard of the incident, but knew no one had come forward to claim responsibility. He suggested I contact the former County Coroner, who recalled the incident, but no details.
In the absence of answers I returned to the cemetery in October 2018 determined to find out if the thieves succeeded in reaching her remains. About 2 feet away from the open grave a dirt pile remains. After 35 years of weather it is only about 6 inches tall and 2 feet in diameter. I scanned it with my metal detector and encountered a lead-like sound. After digging the artifact and gently brushing away some of the dirt, I originally thought it could be a brooch (see first figure). However, the rust stain (previous thought it was an iron rivet) on both the front and back was puzzling. I sent a photo to an acquaintance at the Ohio History Connection who then shared it with one of his colleagues. Within days the artifact was identified as a caplifter from a 19th century coffin. Despite the wear and tear, it still bears a reasonable resemblance to the caplifter “Y” in reference book “Remember Man Thou Art Dust: Coffin Hardware of the Early Twentieth Century” (see second figure).
Although I was initially saddened to confirm that at least some of her remains had been robbed, a local pastor reminded me that at the moment of death her spirit went to God. May her spirit rest in peace.
In the summer of 2018 I was researching family genealogy on-line. Upon finding my great-great-grandmother’s information the website mentioned that her grave had been dug up. Travelling to that area of the country in August, I came across a newspaper clipping from 1983 that said her grave was robbed. While the Sheriff and his Deputy at the time never found the grave robbers, they agreed the motive was greed. After reading the article I visited the cemetery that was in really bad condition. Weeds 5-6 feet tall, poison ivy everywhere, and several grave stones were lying on the ground. Seven hours were spent cleaning up as much as I could and looking for her grave. Upon find a hole 3-4 feet deep I knew I had arrived. Pictures and GPS readings were taken. After returning home I learned that both the Sheriff and his Deputy mentioned in the article had passed away. So I contacted the present day Sheriff (who wasn’t on the staff in 1983), who hadn't heard of the incident, but knew no one had come forward to claim responsibility. He suggested I contact the former County Coroner, who recalled the incident, but no details.
In the absence of answers I returned to the cemetery in October 2018 determined to find out if the thieves succeeded in reaching her remains. About 2 feet away from the open grave a dirt pile remains. After 35 years of weather it is only about 6 inches tall and 2 feet in diameter. I scanned it with my metal detector and encountered a lead-like sound. After digging the artifact and gently brushing away some of the dirt, I originally thought it could be a brooch (see first figure). However, the rust stain (previous thought it was an iron rivet) on both the front and back was puzzling. I sent a photo to an acquaintance at the Ohio History Connection who then shared it with one of his colleagues. Within days the artifact was identified as a caplifter from a 19th century coffin. Despite the wear and tear, it still bears a reasonable resemblance to the caplifter “Y” in reference book “Remember Man Thou Art Dust: Coffin Hardware of the Early Twentieth Century” (see second figure).
Although I was initially saddened to confirm that at least some of her remains had been robbed, a local pastor reminded me that at the moment of death her spirit went to God. May her spirit rest in peace.
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Wrong kind of cap lifter. Sorry.
