Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

[jmckinney1966]

Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

I wanted to get an opinion on a rock carving ( date ) and a tree nearby. I have been Interested in Treasure Hunting for a couple of years and have made a few trips hours from where I live, however this rock and tree are actually besides and in front of my house. I noticed a date on the rock about a year ago. It says 1848, and at first I thought it was an old grave. I went to the court house, tax appraisers office, city officials, local cemetery that is about two blocks away and even the genealogy department at the local library. No one knew of about it or thinks it could be a grave. The earlist grave known in the county is 1854. Rock sets in a small park about 100 feet by 200 feet in the middle of a housing subdivision, yet the city does not maintain it. A lady next door has been mowing the area for the past 20 years, and she hadn't even noticed the date until I pointed it out to her. I think when the area was developed in the late 60's the developer found the date on the rock and to avoid any legal hassells decided to make this area a park and just moved on. The rock sets under three Live Oak Trees in a circle. Their are other rocks on the ground that when lined up point at a 21 degree line in the distance. The large Tree in the pictures is over a 100 years old, ( approx) and the lady that lives there now said lightning struck it back when the whole area was a large farm. I think it has the same look of a bent tree aka KGC. When you stand under the limb of the big tree, it point s directly to the rock, about 50 yards away and you can clearly see the rock from under the limb. This area had one of the first KGC Castle set up by Bickley in around 1860 and has quite a few legends of the James gang and the like. OK, What do you think.... am I reading too much into this or could this be something.

 

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[DigsAlot]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

Have you ever tried to research old aerial photos of the area?

Check your Messages, I sent you some stuff to help.

- Digs

 

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[jmckinney1966]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

I think the date is old, and I think it was carved for a reason (not children). I also think it's interesting that the big limb points directly to the carved rock. I don't know that it's KGC or any kind of treasure marker, but the possibility would be enough to make ME continue researching.

Have you explored where the line of small rocks point?

Yes, I'm with you, I think the date was carved for a reason, but not sure why, only thing i could think of was end of the war with Mexico, all though it ended in 47 treaty was signed in 1848, allot of the guys that fought in that war were from this part of Texas, maybe this was a meeting spot for them, or maybe a early meeting spot for the masons or of the like. I tried breaking down 1848, but only came up with "go 1848 feet out" or "148 feet out and , 8 feet down" or they add up to the number 21, which i know is meaningful to some. I have mapped out 21 degrees right of due north on google, and it is spot on for a direction of where the rocks point if you are standing over the carved rock , the others form a arrow head type shape, that "seem" to point to 21 degrees in the distance. I guess that's why i posted this, I have read allot, but haven't actually figured on what to do next.. I will try going out 1848 feet in a circle and walking the line of 21 degrees , there are still farms around here in that radius, but back before 1930 there were only 3 houses for about 5 square miles, thanks for you comment, its nice to know there are other people out there that would be researching this if they looked at it every morning drinking coffee, I'll update this in a few days!!

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

I think its real too. The number 8 is one of the hardest to carve. Why would someone pick these numbers unless it had some meaning. I think its a date. I would try asking the older neighbors.

 

[Tnmountains]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

Welcome
I think the tree is irrevellant to the rock. The live oak could be that old,,,but it would have been much smaller with a diffrent canopy in refrence to pointing to the rock. The tree looks to have been damaged in its past. The carving on the rock as far as patina and wear is similiar to a carving I found of a pistol on a lime stone out cropping from the civil war dated Sept. 11, 1863. The carving and date were finely done and seem similiar in appearance.
It could have been a family coming in to settle or passing by and put the date on the stone. Wont hurt to hit it real quick with a metal detector real quick if legal to do so. May be a coin around that old tree.
Good luck
TnMtns

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

I dont think the tree points to it either but I would run a detector around the rock to see if you find anything old.

 

[Chico Rico]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

Just out of curiosity, what are the houses in the block numbered?
People sometimes mark their house at the curb with a numbered rock.
Just a shot in the dark.

 

[jmckinney1966]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

Just out of curiosity, what are the houses in the block numbered?
People sometimes mark their house at the curb with a numbered rock.
Just a shot in the dark.

I thought of that too, they all start with 100.. ie: 102, 105, 107 etc, and I walked the area looking at the address numbers and they are all 3 digit, and in the 100's,, good thinking though. these roads were built in the late 60's before that the closest road was about 300 yards away and it was a farm road.

 

[IronSpike]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

I'm leaning towards dated corner stone for foundation. Here's one posted by GoingDown:

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,233759.0.html

 

[traderoftreasures]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

hello . i would start by raising the rock, and looking under it for clue #2 and remember it was my idea so we are in this together. i'll need my share after i solve the rest

 

[mickk]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

hello . i would start by raising the rock, and looking under it for clue #2 and remember it was my idea so we are in this together. i'll need my share after i solve the rest

Priceless!

 

[Kentucky Kache]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

hello . i would start by raising the rock, and looking under it for clue #2 and remember it was my idea so we are in this together. i'll need my share after i solve the rest

So, if he goes to jail, you want your cell to be beside his?

 

[traderoftreasures]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

hello . i would start by raising the rock, and looking under it for clue #2 and remember it was my idea so we are in this together. i'll need my share after i solve the rest

So, if he goes to jail, you want your cell to be beside his?

a ah a ahhhh aahhhh oh.....i didn't do it but i know who did

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

hello . i would start by raising the rock, and looking under it for clue #2 and remember it was my idea so we are in this together. i'll need my share after i solve the rest

So, if he goes to jail, you want your cell to be beside his?

a ah a ahhhh aahhhh oh.....i didn't do it but i know who did

Remind me never to rob a bank with you...

 

[traderoftreasures]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

or i should have said " i'll do it, and i'll do it again "

 

[Monty]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

The date looks scratched as opposed to carved to me. I would expect a treasure mark to be much deeper. I have seen tree limbs in all shapes and sizes from roaming the woods a good part of my youth. My dad's uncle had a limb on a tree that looked very similar and it was caused by the kids who kept tieing a tire swing on that limb ever since the tree was big enough to hold it. So, I am just guessing at best, so don't put much stock in it. Monty

 

[artzstuff1]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

Rock carving looks pretty modern to me!!!!!,, just my 1-cents worth


art

 

[INDIANMANIAC]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

Welcome
I think the tree is irrevellant to the rock. The live oak could be that old,,,but it would have been much smaller with a diffrent canopy in refrence to pointing to the rock. The tree looks to have been damaged in its past. The carving on the rock as far as patina and wear is similiar to a carving I found of a pistol on a lime stone out cropping from the civil war dated Sept. 11, 1863. The carving and date were finely done and seem similiar in appearance.
It could have been a family coming in to settle or passing by and put the date on the stone. Wont hurt to hit it real quick with a metal detector real quick if legal to do so. May be a coin around that old tree.
Good luck
TnMtns

I think it is obvious that someone sometime after the date carved their birthdate into the old rock while setting to rest or wait for something. Possibly carved twenty to thirty years after the actual date. Also to all that spelled recent correctly, good job.

 

[pegleglooker]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

You know it could be a developer who is also into TH'ing.... How cool would that be !!!

PLL

 

[Angelo]

Re: Help with " Tree Marker and Rock Carving"

According to this article and others, doing a search for 1848 canton texas. It appears that Van Zandt County was laid out in 1848 and that may explain the date on the rock.

http://boards.ancestry.com/localities.northam.usa.states.texas.counties.vanzandt/967/mb.ashx?pnt=1

Tony

Also take a look at the following county map and notice that Canton like surrounding County City Seats are smack in the middle. Perhaps other county seats have similar dated rocks.

http://www.maplandia.com/united-states/texas/van-zandt-county/