Subject: MYSTERY SOLVED!
Fisherman's find? Tombstone typos
By Vic Ryckaert
<mailto:vic.ryckaert@indystar.com> vic.ryckaert(a)indystar.com
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has solved the riddle of grave
markers nearly a century old that were discovered by a fisherman in the
White River last month.
The dozen or so headstones are scrap pieces with mistakes in spelling or
dates, said Jeannie Regan-Dinius, cemetery registry coordinator with DNR's
Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology.
More than 50 years ago, Regan-Dinius said, the stones were sold to an
Indianapolis homeowner to shore up the riverbank on his property.
"This is the best possible outcome," Regan-Dinius said. "The actual
tombstones are in their places where they belong, and nobody's grave was
desecrated."
Fisherman Jim Hodges was clearing a snagged line when he happened upon the
headstones last month. The find quickly drew the interest of Regan-Dinius
and officials at the Indiana State Museum, who feared the stones might have
been illegally dumped.
Regan-Dinius visited the site and recovered 10 names from the stones. She
traced those names to graves in an Ohio cemetery. She later discovered those
people were resting peacefully in Ohio in graves marked by proper,
mistake-free stones.
"I am confident these are error stones," she said.
Officials documented the site and will keep the coordinates on file in case
the stones should ever cause another bewildered fisherman to scratch his
head. The information was shared with genealogy experts, libraries and
police, Regan-Dinius said.
One stone reading "William S. Longhenry, 1868-1914" spent a couple of weeks
in storage at the Indiana State Museum while experts pieced the puzzle
together. That stone is now back on its shoreline, Regan-Dinius said.
Tim Hanika, 83, lives on the property where the stones were found. He said
the fisherman's catch drew a lot of attention to his typically quiet
riverfront neighborhood.
"We've lived here for 30 years, and (the stones) were in here 30 years
before that," Hanika said. "They were put out here before we moved here to
hold up the bank."
Years ago, Hanika said, the stones had been used as steps to get down the
bank and swim in the river. They were an interesting "conversation piece,"
he said.
He said he's seen a lot of boaters passing by his property searching for the
stones in recent days. So far none have stumbled upon them, which is just
fine with Hanika.
"I'm too old to go down there and guard them," Hanika said.
Call Star reporter Vic Ryckaert at (317) 444-2761.