Local Cemetery Conservation: Re-setting and edging in-ground footstones

Learn how to reset and edge in ground footstones.
These series of videos were produced for the 2021 Local History & Historical Preservation Conference. The Wisconsin Historical Society partnered with monument conservator Jonathan Appell to cover the basics of cemetery preservation. Through a partnership with the Osceola Historical Society and the Mount Hope Cemetery Association, Jonathan demonstrates and performs treatments for the most common gravestone and monument preservation dilemmas, including cleaning, resetting tilted stones, and rejoining fractured tablet stones. The goal of these videos will be to give local cemetery staff or volunteers the knowledge to perform basic preservation procedures.
The workshop and these videos were produced by Valley Access Channels in Stillwater, Minnesota. Music credit: Storyblocks.com

[@RVGMInc]

Thank You! The use of the Veteran Flush Marker is very instructive.

[@hateantis8249]

Very interesting and educational. I'm in the process of doing this to a cemetery in Marquette County, WI. So this video is exactly what I needed to see!

[@jomercer21113]

The base we use for pavers is called C140 crushed gravel. It has a nice mix of sharp coarse and fines to compact, we top it with sharp sand to level, and then set the stones .

[@ca6177]

Thanks, very informative!

[@THEOLDPIXLEYFARM]

I’m sure Mr. Kermit Johnson would be happy that you did this!

[@RadioRich100]

Yeah but he was turning over because the guy wouldnt stop talking.

[@jwall62]

@@RadioRich100 He's teaching a class

[@ashawayangler7136]

I add a 12" deep concrete footing to all my flush markers, for security and prevention of sinkage.

[@gregb2830]

Good job and educational as always

[@sircampbell1249]

Yes, i use road base rock...

[@Austin8thGenTexan]

Although it's very common with relatives buried in my rural Texas family cemetery, I wonder why they buy a regular upright tombstone: then also claim the free military one - then install it as a foot stone. My grandparents have matching granite foot stones that say "Daddy" and "Mama". Rock of Ages brand, quarried in Vermont. Quite a few people in this cemetery never installed their brick-sized custom foot stones, and they're now leaning up against the headstones (above ground).

[@mrmusiclover4178]

My mother & father have flat monuments which cover their entire graves. Her monument had not been installed a year, when the careless cemetery maintenance man ran his mower over the corner, and knocked off the corner of her monument. Several monuments in this country cemetery have been damaged this way. Why don't maintenance people use more care? This damage cannot be fixed. Being a genealogist and having visited numerous cemeteries in this area, I notice this problem seems to be commonplace. One of the cemeteries had damage to virtually ALL the flat monuments. Cemeteries in this area of SC have virtually all granite stones from about 1920's to the present, and mostly marble, before that. I understand slate was used before marble, before the late 1700's. Cemeteries, especially old ones, are fascinating to me. Nice video, by the way. Quite useful information. Thank you. BTW, any advice on cleaning monuments? Do you recommend Wet and Forget and the similar D/2 cleaner?

[@rjabja]

I use wet and forget because it is cheaper than the other brand recommended. Sadly guess most cemeteries have the same problems you mentioned.

[@scorpio622]

Is it OK to put a border of crushed stone around these flushed markers to reduce grass overgrowth and mud onto the marker?

[@sharpthingshurt926]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@GenealogyKristen]

Do you believe most markers of this material (stone? Concrete?) are also about 4” thick? Or is that only standard for modern/veteran flat markers? My stillborn brother has a similar style marker, which has definitely sunk over 38 years. My parents are in their 70s and not really in any shape to do this kind of work, but if his marker is only a few inches like this, it would be nice to know if my siblings and I might be able to do it.

[@troy5292]

I understand doing this in the manner you did for an easy demonstration using minimal tools and cost for people doing this for one or two markers, but wouldn't it be easier to have a Sod Tamper to do the bulk of the leveling, then a 23x11 inch piece of thick plywood? Stepping on the plywood would leave flat spots and show where you need to add material, and level out high spots. Then do any fine tuning of the heigh after? I'm not afraid to use shovels, but I never found one that really fit my hands comfortably. Ladders are another tool that not many people would steal because you have to do actual work to use it.

[@EdgardGodoy]

Can we use only sand?

[@GnosisMan50]

It looks too low to me...

[@stonecoldrestorations4591]

It still looks a bit low?

[@lance16O1]

22:09

[@Fingolfin3423]

That's just going to get covered up again. Raise it higher, bud.

[@THEOLDPIXLEYFARM]

You obviously didn’t pay attention.

[@lance16O1]

22:09

[@bethmorano1452]

I would think not everyone could just walk in a cemetery and reset stones.

[@THEOLDPIXLEYFARM]

They are allowed to do this

[@GenealogyKristen]

Always get approval at the office-especially if it’s a grave that doesn’t belong to immediate family.

[@tamarcanady5333]

“Kids these days don’t want to use shovels.”

[@user-eh5ih5vp8p]

Please don't do what this guy does

[@sharpthingshurt926]

Why?😮

[@robertI153]

Yeh, why?

[@cindylee8776]

Why

[@GenealogyKristen]

Please explain. This guy literally does this for a living. Are you saying he’s doing something wrong? Or are you saying this should only be done by pros, not amateurs?

[@user-eh5ih5vp8p]

You cannot take it upon yourself to work on somebody else's property without permission