and used the techniques suggested by fellow Genea-bloggers. I also used water, a soft brush and a rag, removing some of the years of grime and yuck from the stone. I only removed enough to read the pertinent information. No harsh cleaning agents were used, and no stiff brushes. I felt this stone had survived for over 100 years and I didn’t want to be the one who hastened it’s demise!
As soon as I uncovered enough to rub the dates, I stopped cleaning (thankfully ~ that was hard work!) and started in on my main mission. The death date was the cincher, and my “Elizabeth A.” died in 1826; the headstone’s “Elizabeth A.” died in 1888! Not my Elizabeth, nutz!
Elizabeth Somebody Else, not Elizabeth Auxer Kleiss
. . . but all was not in vain! First of all, when I was leaving the aisle that Elizabeth Somebody Else is buried in, I saw this beautiful hawk sitting on a headstone. . . .in the middle of the City! He sat there oblivious to my presence, in my car, and waited for me to take his picture! As I started moving again, he noticed me and flew off!
Cemetery Pet?
But back to the subject, I found headstones! Headstones belonging to George Kleiss, Jr., next to his sister, Anna Maria Weigand! I also found Walter F. Albright and his wife, Barbara’s headstones, in a nice border lined cemetery plot. Anna Maria’s must have been beautiful. . . before it was vandalized! Sad.
Vandalized headstone of Anna Maria Kleiss Weigand
Now for the gross part. I wore flip flops since it was a bit warm, never thinking my feet would get dirty. Now why wouldn’t they? I walked one quarter of the largest cemetery in Lancaster, and I expected my feet to remain lily white? (with pink toenails, of course) When I got home at looked down at my feet, I was shocked! I immediately found the darkest wash cloth in the house (black) and washed my feet! Yuck!
Yucky, Dirty Feet!
Thank you all for the suggestions! You helped me eliminate a wrong headstone and helped me find headstones in the future.
Now to hop in the shower. . . . . .
From Axer to Ziegler 
Our feet could be twins…maybe I’ve found another “cousin”…
But seriously, the hawk is BEAUTFIUL!
I’m glad your trip was a success, even not as you expected!
Well, someone someday will appreciate the effort you put in to cleaning the headstone for them to read the dates! A genuine act of Genealogical Kindness that should earn you a post-games Gold Medal!
btw.. brushes are on clearance now at Target for 68c (usually 98c). By the time you get home, they might be 50c. I stock up every year from the ‘back to the dorm’ line for tombstone scrubbing.
Hi Linda:
I don’t know if you have this information or not. George Kaylor and Susanna Leader (widow) were married on Jan. 30, 1844 at Christ Lutheran Church in Elizabethtown, Pa, where I live and also attend this same church.
I am the gggg granddaughter of George Kaylor and his first wife Anna Fissel who died in 1839. I understand that George and Susannah’s marriage was very rocky. On the census records it has her and George listed and also a girl named Susanna age eight. I do know she had a daughter before she married George. The year was 1850 and George was listed as being 66 and Susannah as being 56. I was also told that Susannah’s sister also lived with her and George. I heard that Susannah accused George of doing something immoral and he denied it. He was a prominent man in Royalton (a very small village outside of Middletown, Pa.) where they lived on Foxianna Rd.. He left for parts unknown. I know there was an attorney involved by the name of Auxer and we believe it was a relative of Susannah. Our family does not know where George went to or where he is buried. Regardless of the circumstances I was always curious as to what really happened.
If you would be interested in contacting me I would appreciate it.
Regards,
Linda
Hi Linda ~ I will contact you via e-mail. Parts of your story are correct, parts, not. I live in Lancaster and have done extensive research on Susannah since her Bible was my start of my research over 20 years ago. It’s wonderful to find another one of George’s ancestors! and one that lives so close! Linda