Sorry, its been a long time since the last post.

Been busy, which is a good thing, and haven't had time to update.

I have been able to update our Facebook page.

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Stone Setters Gravestone and Monument Repair

Deep River History

Deep River Friends Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Guilford county.

Deep River is unique in that only two meeting houses have been built in more than 250 years of its history. Founded in 1758, its first meeting house was a frame structure. The second meeting house, presently being used, was completed and dedicated on New Year's Day 1876. Clay for the brick came from the Beard property across the road. The house was built as it now appears from the outside, but the interior has been renovated several times.


This is said about the cemetery:

"Deep River is one of the oldest cemeteries in Guilford County, although the earliest grave reading today---
P. Chipman 1803---is not representative of its true age.There are no records to show when the cemetery first came to be used or the names of the earliest people interred in the oldest part, as Quakers did not believe in marking the graves of their loved ones. Later, the use of plain field stones and then hand-carved stones with initials and/or dates came into use. Through the many years Deep River has been enlarged several times and presently covers several acres."

A walk through the cemetery shows the names of many of the people who had, and still has, an impact on the small town of Jamestown located a couple of miles away.

Should you ever be in the area and history interests you, it's really a neat place to visit.

Deep River Friends-Mahala Beard

The Deep River Friends Cemetery Project is underway.

Mahala Beard 1816-1903 became the first stone reset.

The photo on the right shows the condition of the stone before repairs were made.

This photo shows the stone after repairs were completed.

Deep River Friends Cemetery

Stone Setters has been selected to re-set 48 "urgent" and

"in need of" stones in the Deep River Friends Cemetery.

This will be a two phase project with the urgent stones being repaired in Phase 1.

In Phase 2 we will repair the broken stones.

Work will begin as soon as the details are worked out. Will keep you posted.

Finishing Up

A sand and gravel base is tamped and leveled and the bedstead is reassembled.

Soil is added to hide the sand and gravel and to provide stability to the side and foot rails.

After re-setting the headstone in the base, the Charlie Hall bedstead is complete.

Chipping Away

Holes are drilled in the concrete to facilitate its removal.

Since drilling the holes I'm not so sure that it's concrete. Its light color and texture suggests it may be something else.

Whatever it is, it has to come out so that we can reattach the headstone to the base.

Careful removal of the substance is imperative to keep from damaging the base.

A few hours later, the mortise is cleaned out.

Raising, leveling, and reassembly of the bedstead can begin.

Excavation

Excavation of the bedstead is begun in order to raise and level the rails and base.

The base has been set aside so that we can remove the concrete in the mortise.

After removal the bedstead will be raised, leveled, and reassembled.