Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

 

I am accumulating a longer list of hidden headstones at Myrtle Grove.  Stones, photos of which have been requested by far-away family members in search of family.  It's very frustrating to know that each time I claim a request through Find a Grave, there is little likelihood that I will actually find the stone.  SO MANY that should be there just aren't.  Or, they have sunk out of sight. In my continuing quest to uncover hidden graves at Myrtle Grove, along with the ever-lengthening list, I have added tools to my work bag. Recently, I added a probe in the form of a very long screwdriver. 

 

 

The idea of this probe was to poke around in the vast empty areas hoping that there may actually be stones there.  When I found Alice's stone, most was visible but it just needed some trimming of sod to expose the rest.  Today, I headed out looking for Harriet Edeline.  The stone of her husband, Edward, had already been located and I thought I might be able to poke around for Harriet's marker nearby.  I spotted the name and started pushing the rod into the soil.  Turns out the stone I initially spotted was not Edeline but Emeline but, nonetheless, as I poked around... "clunk".  Ohmygoditworked.....

As I poked to find the perimeter of the stone, I used my drywall saw to start cutting away at the sod, finally pushing my fingers through to the unmistakeable cold of granite.  I found the stone of John O. Mowry, a 1st Lieutenant in the 55th Massachusetts Infantry, who died in 1884 at 60 years, 7 months and 17 days. 

Welcome back, Lieutenant Mowry.  I'm certain your wife, Emeline will enjoy having you seen next to her.  And, by the way, thank you for your service.

Sadly, the stone of Harriet Edeline still evades me.  Logic (and documents) would have her near her husband but she will require more searching and poking another day. For now, I'll tend to the enormous blister I developed from repeatedly pushing that screwdriver into the ground.