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.

Charlie Hall Bedstead

Charlie

son of

J. K. & Fannie Hall

BORN

May 13, 1863

DIED

June 18, 1864

Charlie Hall, son of Dr. James King and Fannie M. Hall, is one of approximately 83 children under the age of 15 buried in the First Presbyterian cemetery. It's amazing that 25% of the graves in this cemetery are children under the age of 15.

His bedstead will be the next that we will work on.

As you can see from the photo, the base, side rails, and foot rail have sunk. The headstone has been laid inside the bedstead and is encased in concrete. The mortise in the base has been filled with concrete, and the base is tilted

We will excavate the rails, foot rail, and base and raise and level them. We will also excavate the headstone and remove the concrete casing. The mortise in the base will be cleaned out in order to reset the headstone in the base.