Opinions about metal detecting historic cemetaries

I don't even like to walk on a grave or graves even though you must do so, if you are looking for a specific Family member's grave! We lived in a home in front of a Cemetery in West Virginia for 6 years, on quite a few occasions, I saw apparitions passing through our' kitchen while we were eating supper and at other times we all (my wife and daughters as well as myself) noted that it felt as if someone was watching us. I have also had other encounters where someone would sit down on my bed and no one was in the room except myself as well as other encounters. Now I don't believe in ghosts per say but I do believe that there are spirits that have not left this Earthly plane for one reason or another and I believe that there are evil spitits lurking to do harm. I believe that you should not disturb anything in the Old Cemetery unless you want a spirit or other to start visting you from time to time.


Frank

 

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It is illegal to dig any grave, historic or not.
Also, BEWARE: if it is a federal historic site, you could easily be arrested!
Stay away from anything federal.


Move along.

 

Since it is a cemetary you need to contact your local board of directors over the cemetaries in your county. I'm pretty sure that they are off limit to metal detectings for a few different reasons and I would hate to see you tied up with a ticket or fine.

Speedy

 

No problems yet with zombies, but by Jove when I do, I got one of these babies to keep me prepared!

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=202668.msg2158872#msg2158872

By the way, I know what you mean about MA graveyards. Newton and Waltham have some of the creepiest ones. Danvers and Beverly aren't far behind...

 

Who's digging graves? you make it sound like he's going deep enough to pull their gold teeth out.

1. So lets say that you have a landscaping contract to care for the cemetary and you have some graves that are overgrown with weeds and need to dug out, so you dig them out throw them in your wheelbarrow and on your way back to the truck some coins rattle out of the root balls, would you keep them or go back and replant the coins. 2. Same scenario and with the chance of having metal (rebar, wire, nails etc.) in some of the overgrowth and knowing what could happen if it was to get hit with the mower blades, wouldn't be safer to detect the area to rid all potentially life threatening hazzards and if you were to find coins, jewelry or the like, it would just be a bonus.
Did he say that the cemetary had been registered with the historical society, imo if it hasn't, detect it, you know if anybody that is involved with those type of organizations the chances of any or all the findings, if there are any wouldn't get to the proper places. jmt

 

I hope nobody here takes this personal, but the fact is that all the advice given here is worth what was paid for it.

It sounds like OP has an abandoned cemetery on family owned property. I am aware that most states have laws regarding requirements to put a cemetery (or just bury a relative) on private property. If they had laws prohibiting digging up grave sites, I would imagine those laws also have exceptions for the rightful property owners.

OP, from a moral standpoint, I would think that it is OK to detect on your own property, but be very respectful of the grave sites themselves. Remember, not everyone could necessarily afford a grave marker (or they could have actually sunken into the ground).

From a legal standpoint, I would think that some personal research would be appropriate. I would start by reading up on Rhode Island's laws (or whatever state you are in) regarding cemeteries on private land and what can and cannot be done with them. I would spend a fair amount of effort learning what your rights and responsibilities are. Once you feel you understand them, then it might be a good idea to consult an attorney to make sure you understood them correctly and didn't miss anything. If you do consult an attorney, try to find one that has actually dealt with land disputes that included a private cemetery as most lawyers would probably not have the immediate background to answer your questions during a consulation.

Hope this points you in the right direction.

 

Gatzdon:
Nice catch, I missed that one.

Never mind.

 

since it is on his property, i would detect it. if it were an active graveyard in the middle of a town i would not. just be sure to fill in your holes. these graves are 6 feet down, i doubt your going to dig even 1 foot for coins! :goofer:

 

There supposed to 6 feet, some of them are old graves, so can we say for sure they are 6 feet?

 

I would hold off on the advice that it is OK to dig in a private cemetary. While the cemetary is on private land, there may still be reporting requirements. Even if OP wants to make a personal decision to detect/dig knowing that it is highly improbably that anyone would ever know that he has done it, I would still refrain from giving such advice. It may be that there are no such requirements and the OP is free to turn the cemetary into a pond. I personally have no idea what the OP's legal responsiblities are and I'd be willing to guess that everyone else is making assumptions based on what they THINK is right. All too often, laws don't make sense and contradict what our moral compass says.

 

Since you cant take your coins with you leave them to your kids. If not someone may dig them up!

Just kidding.

I realize you would be looking for loose change lost as people visited loved ones, but the unknown risks of possibly finding yourself in a small room with a police officer trying to explain the situation opposed to finding a few worn and corroded buffalo nickels and Indian cents worth a few dollars isn't a good reward - risk relationship. I have never metal detected, but there is a old 1800's church nearby that would be a good candidate and wouldn't carry the hassles or the long arm of the law. I would try to find ghost towns and old mines compared to grave yards.

 

If it were on my property I would detect it. I would also cut the grass and keep it up.
You might also detect any paths that would lead to it from the house or near by roads.

 

Just out of curiosity... Have you seen the name Cogswell on any of those stones?

My faminly is spread all over new england since they landed in 1635.

Thanks
Richard

 

Well, to be perfectly blunt, I hope you are arrested if you metal detect that graveyard. This is about the worst idea I've ever heard on CoinTalk.

 

It like............Hey a button....and a rib.

 

My own 2 cents:

Private or not, it may be illegal to dig in a cemetary.

With all due respect to your grandmother (and I do support her apprehensions), I think that history needs to be recorded, especially if the town has been looking for these gravesites. There presumably must be some kind of deal that can be worked out (and if it is private property, no one can force you to open it up to the public, unless the town took it by eminant domain).

It MIGHT be ethically acceptable to detect in the surrounding area (such as paths, as someone suggested), but to dig in the cemetary itself is in my opinion wrong and downright creepy. And by the way, I worked in a cemetary during summer breaks from college, and I dug my share of graves; I even held unidentified bones that turned up in a fresh grave we were digging, and discretely slipped them back in the hole next to the vault for the latest occupant. So, I don't get creeped out easily. But, to detect in a graveyard is just not right.

As for how far down things are, you never know how erosion or shifting dirt will react. The ground might get deeper on top of what is left, or it might get shallower. Tree roots might have pushed some things near the surface. Once you start detecting you have no idea what you will find - and how will you know when to stop digging? Just a few inches more....a few more....voila! A finger bnone with a gold ring on it.

 

oh wow, you guys are trying to make me out to be a grave robber. I just have to say, not at all. I never have detected there, may have thought about it. But as far as thinking about it, thats all I ever meant, was to search the general area and not over the graves. I wouldnt go near the graves or near the stones. I would not want to disturb a grave, nor would I want to disturb anything that might have been laid down beside a headstone. But I would like to detect the area near the graveyard. I might not be able to distinguish the path that people took to visit. Its about as far from the road as you can get in every direction. About a good mile out with no sign of anything around it. It may be overgrown, but I imagine it used to be more orless a field ontop of the hill. But there are two huge trees at the edge of the cemetary that just have to have been the only trees there back when. Id like to detect at the base of those where someone visiting might have sat. And Id also like to detect in the vicinity of a stone wall that runs down one side of the graveyard. But still, Ive had this metal detector for over 10 years and I havent detected there yet.

 

Did you ever see the movie "Citizen Kane"?

 

Okay, lets review. You want to metal detect in a graveyard and the surrounding property for the purpose of finding and taking away something of value or of "interest" from property and from people from whom you don't have permission or any legitimate archeological purpose.

Yep, you're a grave robber or at least a potential one. Maybe you'll find a coin, or bone, or who knows what you are subconsciously looking for digging around there. Very creepy that you can't seem to understand that what you are suggesting is just soooo wrong on many many levels. From the way you write, my guess is that you'll talk yourself into doing it anyway and in about 10 years you'll be in the news for heavens knows what!

 

I'm sorry, but now I think that was out of line. He asked a question, and he even stated he wasn't going to metal detect around the graves, or in the grave yard itself. Read one of his last posts.

Phoenix