LadyDigger
Bronze Member
My hubby and I were out and about last week, looking for places in what is left of the country side of Va Beach (can't believe how fast this place has grown since 1978...when I first arrived, a gift from the U.S. Navy 
)...
Well, we stopped to buy some fresh strawberries....we did not feel like picking our own...so we got a basket already picked and they were SOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOODD!!!
Anyways, talking to the young lady, we asked how old the house was...and she said atleast 150 years old. I said WOW>>>LOOKS GREAT FOR AN OLD PLACE (and it did, they kept it up well)...well, I asked (I'm new at this....so not sure other to come right out and say)..."Would you have a problem if we asked if we could metal detect your property?" She said, "I don't think there would be a problem. My father in law owns this land. It's been in his family for years." So, of course, the genealogist I am, asked her...."How many years?" She prececed to tell me, that up the road (named after this family)...was the original house that her father in laws something other great grandfather built. He was granted land from the King of England and this land has remained in this family since then. This man was sent here to colonize this area. Now I have to go do more research on this family and look at land grants and deeds and titles and what have you. I may already have this family in my genealogical files (as my goal is to have the largest TOWN FAMILY TREE and try to connect everyone I possibly can).
So, this week, hubby and I are going back to speak to her father in law. My question is.....when we approach him...what would be the best way to do it without scaring the man, thinking we are going to destroy his property, etc.? Hubby and I were thinking of pre-printing permission forms to have signed by the owner of the land and ourselves, with each of us having one on our person, incase we are stopped and the owner has one.
Do we offer him the finds, do we offer him a share....I would think offering him a share or something in the finds as a way of thanking him for allowing us to detect.
And once we do get to detect....what would be the best way to start? What should we look for? Since this property has been in this family since before this place was even Princess Anne County....I can only imagine the artifacts and coins that could be found. Do we search near the house, near farm structures, empty fields, wooded areas....All of the above ?
We don't want to mess it up for others that may come down the road to metal detect nor do we want to give the owner a bad impression or disrespect him or his lineage in any way.
Any input would be greatly appreciated. If we can get permission next week, hopefully within the week or two, we would be able to go out and start!!
Hope I posted this in the right place also.
I Thank You in advance for any and all responses!!! (Oh, I don't know if this land (two separate areas, one where the original home is at and where this man lives)...has ever been detected....either by MD'ers or archelogical...we will find out when we talk to the owner.
)...Well, we stopped to buy some fresh strawberries....we did not feel like picking our own...so we got a basket already picked and they were SOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOODD!!!
Anyways, talking to the young lady, we asked how old the house was...and she said atleast 150 years old. I said WOW>>>LOOKS GREAT FOR AN OLD PLACE (and it did, they kept it up well)...well, I asked (I'm new at this....so not sure other to come right out and say)..."Would you have a problem if we asked if we could metal detect your property?" She said, "I don't think there would be a problem. My father in law owns this land. It's been in his family for years." So, of course, the genealogist I am, asked her...."How many years?" She prececed to tell me, that up the road (named after this family)...was the original house that her father in laws something other great grandfather built. He was granted land from the King of England and this land has remained in this family since then. This man was sent here to colonize this area. Now I have to go do more research on this family and look at land grants and deeds and titles and what have you. I may already have this family in my genealogical files (as my goal is to have the largest TOWN FAMILY TREE and try to connect everyone I possibly can).
So, this week, hubby and I are going back to speak to her father in law. My question is.....when we approach him...what would be the best way to do it without scaring the man, thinking we are going to destroy his property, etc.? Hubby and I were thinking of pre-printing permission forms to have signed by the owner of the land and ourselves, with each of us having one on our person, incase we are stopped and the owner has one.
Do we offer him the finds, do we offer him a share....I would think offering him a share or something in the finds as a way of thanking him for allowing us to detect.
And once we do get to detect....what would be the best way to start? What should we look for? Since this property has been in this family since before this place was even Princess Anne County....I can only imagine the artifacts and coins that could be found. Do we search near the house, near farm structures, empty fields, wooded areas....All of the above
?We don't want to mess it up for others that may come down the road to metal detect nor do we want to give the owner a bad impression or disrespect him or his lineage in any way.
Any input would be greatly appreciated. If we can get permission next week, hopefully within the week or two, we would be able to go out and start!!
Hope I posted this in the right place also.
I Thank You in advance for any and all responses!!! (Oh, I don't know if this land (two separate areas, one where the original home is at and where this man lives)...has ever been detected....either by MD'ers or archelogical...we will find out when we talk to the owner.
