My friend in the stone and monument business now these 30 years has told me that whether or not shaving cream is acceptable for that purpose depends entirely on whether or not it is more than soap and a propellant (mild soap is acceptable) and what kind of stone it is.  He further relates that plain soap made without lye (like most shaving creams), if rinsed away after the reading effort, is not harmful to any stone of which monuments are currently made.  Indeed, he tells, most headstones would last longer with such occasional washings since the acids from auto exhausts is very destructive of most monuments.   Paul      
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jigsaw Genealogy 
  To: [log in to unmask] 
  Sent: Sunday, June 26, 2005 3:42 PM
  Subject: Buried tombstone in tree stump


  Interesting article but I literally cringed when the "local history
  enthusiast" (who happened to be the president of the cemetery board) used
  shaving cream on the stone to read the engraving.  AARRGGHH!!!

  Mary Beth Dalton
  Jigsaw Genealogy
  Williamsburg, VA
  [log in to unmask]


  ----- Original Message -----
  From: "Paul Drake" <[log in to unmask]>
  To: <>
  Sent: Sunday, June 26, 2005 10:10 AM
  Subject: Fw: Check it out...


  >From Diane Peters




  Folks,

  I think all of us have had the frustration of trying to find a missing
  tombstone or tiny cemetery.  Please go to this link:



   http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14755961&BRD=1719&PAG=461&dept_id=25271&rfi=6It's about the headstone of a Martha J. Mahan who died Aug. 13, 1854.  Theheadstone was found recently in the middle of a huge tree that had to betaken down due to wind damage. So the next time you can't find thattombstone, grab an axe & start swinging at the neareat good sized tree!To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions athttp://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html

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