Caplifter from my great-great-grandmother’s coffin

invent4hir

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Aug 1, 2017
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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.
 

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Upvote 15
Thank you for sharing your very interesting story! And of course the local pastor was spot on!
 

Thank you for sharing your very interesting story! And of course the local pastor was spot on!

OreElse, Thanks for the kudos. Agree that the advice given by the local pastor was spot on.
 

Quite fascinating. Wonder why her grave was chosen.

Hillbilly Prince, I believe her grave was chosen b/c it the gravestone states she was the wife of a doctor. Thieves probably thought she'd be more likely to have jewelry than others.
 

Sorry to hear that happened but shes moved on I hope you found forgiveness as well as closure and piece of mind Tommy
 

Sorry to hear that happened but shes moved on I hope you found forgiveness as well as closure and piece of mind Tommy

A2, a couple weeks ago I met the pastor there for a reinternment. With that I found peace of mind. The caplifter was re-buried next to her gravestone.
 

A2, a couple weeks ago I met the pastor there for a reinternment. With that I found peace of mind. The caplifter was re-buried next to her gravestone.

Where in the world is this cemetery located where people were robbing graves in the 1980's?!
Also, what's a caplifter?
 

Ima, the cemetery is in western KY. I imagine a couple teenagers did it. The cemetery is not visible from a travelled road, so no one would notice the robbing going on. A caplifter is hardware from a coffin. I don't recall its specific purpose, but as you can see it is pretty similar to that in the reference book.
 

I'm glad you were able to bring some positivity to an absolutely despicable act.

I'll admit, I had a completely different expectation when I read the title of your great great grandmother being buried with a cap lifter.:laughing7: Wrong kind of cap lifter. Sorry.
 

DiamondDan, thanks for the kind compliment. Even I got a brief chuckle out of your 2nd sentence :-), so I am at peace...
 

Here are 2 pictures of the cemetery, one taken in August 2018 and the other in March 2019. Night and day. Kudos to the Webster County Sheriff for bringing out some inmates and knocking out the weeds and saplings in October 2018. That plus 13 hours of effort from me, got the place looking pretty good for now.
 

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You are a credit to your families history. I'm touched that you made this place of rest suitable for remembrances.

gilmerman, thanks - it was the least I could do. Wish I lived closer, so I could keep it looking that way. After 3 months of effort and help from others I also found the unmarked grave of my great-great grandmother in Nashville. My cousins and I paid to have a grave stone placed, so she won't fade from history once we are gone.
 

Invent4hir, sorry to hear about your Grandmothers grave being robbed and desecrated, but in the end you turned this terrible incident around and into a positive ending. Well Done to you in getting the cemetery cleaned up and the piece reinterred at your Grandmothers grave. And for locating your other Grandmothers grave in Nashville and for having a stone placed in her memory. Good Deeds Done. Good Man.:icon_thumleft:
 

Sorry that this happened. Grave robbing has happened around here in the 80's as well. Scum broke into the crypts and stole stuff. All of the old crypts are now blocked shut. Criminal know no bounds!
 

Sorry that this happened. Grave robbing has happened around here in the 80's as well. Scum broke into the crypts and stole stuff. All of the old crypts are now blocked shut. Criminal know no bounds!

Guardrailnickel, thanks for your thoughts and sorry the same thing happened in your area.:thumbsup:
 

Invent4hir, sorry to hear about your Grandmothers grave being robbed and desecrated, but in the end you turned this terrible incident around and into a positive ending. Well Done to you in getting the cemetery cleaned up and the piece reinterred at your Grandmothers grave. And for locating your other Grandmothers grave in Nashville and for having a stone placed in her memory. Good Deeds Done. Good Man.:icon_thumleft:

devldog, thanks for the kudos. Was hoping to return to my great-great-grandmother's grave this Spring to clean up the cemetery again, but COVID-19 will postpone to late Fall.
 

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