Mysterious items need identification

GREENCASTLE -- Amid the commotion of emptying the Putnam County Home and locating unmarked graves prior to the sale of acreage around it, a registry from a funeral found there has raised some questions.

Putnam County Planner Kim Hyten is looking for anyone related to Harry Coleman. They believe he may have lived at the County Home at one time, but cannot find any record. What they did find was a registry from his funeral held at a Coatesville Funeral Home.

"We'd like to be able to give this book to his family members, but we don't know who or where they are," Hyten told the Banner Graphic.

Anyone who can provide information about Harry Coleman is asked to call Hyten's office at 653-7719.

Oddly, the Banner also received a call from a family looking to locate anyone with information about a very old tombstone found in the rafters of their basement home in Fillmore.

Jackie Price, sister-in-law to the family that found the stone says the home may have been a hardware store.

"Scott and Lydia (McCord) found it while looking at the wiring. It was shoved up in the rafters. They have found a William and Nancy Lawrence in the 1970 Census, but don't have any idea if they are related," said Price.

The rounded limestone marker has the name "Johanna Lawrence" and the dates of either Sept. 20 or 26, 1874.

The McCord's contacted the family who owned the home before them and they say the stone was always up in the rafters when they were in the home. They never moved it. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the McCord's at 246-6218.