Who Placed the Benchmark?

[+mtbikedirtygirl]

Is there anyway a everyday Jo-geocacher can find out whom placed the Benchmarks that being recovered. I can't find anything on the data sheets to help. I am really interested in finding out if there are any benchmarks still in exsistence that Thomas Freeman placed in the Tenn valley. More or less in Huntsville alabama (Madison County). The Meridian line benchmark that was located on the Tenn/Alabama line has long since been destroyed. But, I am aware that he has place more then just that bm. He also cut the state in half with the Freeman line. I would be so grateful if I could find the Freeman line benchmark(s) he placed too.

But, with that said, it would be awesome to be able to know whom placed the benchmarks.

 

Linda

mtbikedirtygirl aka: MBDG

[foxtrot_xray]

Is there anyway a everyday Jo-geocacher can find out whom placed the Benchmarks that being recovered. I can't find anything on the data sheets to help. I am really interested in finding out if there are any benchmarks still in exsistence that Thomas Freeman placed in the Tenn valley. More or less in Huntsville alabama (Madison County). The Meridian line benchmark that was located on the Tenn/Alabama line has long since been destroyed. But, I am aware that he has place more then just that bm. He also cut the state in half with the Freeman line. I would be so grateful if I could find the Freeman line benchmark(s) he placed too.

But, with that said, it would be awesome to be able to know whom placed the benchmarks.

 

Linda

mtbikedirtygirl aka: MBDG

 

If you're meaning "benchmarks" in general - i.e. Ons that may not be in the NGS / DC./COM database, then not easily - you'd have to write to the agency on the disk to get information about it. For NGS disks (stations in GC.COM), if you look at the fill datasheet, you'll see a history table near the bottom of the sheet:

 

 JV3939  HISTORY     - Date     Condition        Report By
JV3939  HISTORY     - 1979     MONUMENTED       NGS
JV3939  HISTORY     - 20100726 GOOD             INDIV
JV3939
JV3939                          STATION DESCRIPTION
JV3939
JV3939'DESCRIBED BY NATIONAL GEODETIC SURVEY 1979

The table shows the first entry 0- it was Monuments in 1979 by NGS. The first recovery text will then occasionally spell out who set/monumented it. ..Just.. you won't see the color. (?!)

 

Cheers,

-Mike.

[NGS Surveyor]

In the case of U.S. Coasst & Geodetic Survey (USC&GS) and National Geodetic Survey (NGS) marks, it was common practice to include the initials of the Chief of Party in the description. Sometimes the mark setter's initials were also included.

 

GeorgeL

NGS

[DaveD]

The work of Thomas Freeman should be in the archives of the Bureau of Land Management. He worked rather extensively to lay out the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) in Alabama in his role as "Surveyor of the Lands South of Tennessee." The BLM may have information on the marks he set as part of that effort. I regret that it's not likely that many, if any, have been included in the National Spatial Reference System maintained by NGS. You might also try contacting the Alabama Society of Professional Land Surveyors (www.aspls.org)

[kayakbird]

---Freeman line. ---

mtbikedirtygirl aka: MBDG

MBDG,

 

Dave D's info should get you to searching in the correct agency. Just curious as to your time span of interest?

 

The NGS Shapefile for Madison Co Ala has just three points pre-1900. EF1466 & 1486 in 1877 and EF1465 in 1878.

 

I did not see anything that may have been a GLO/PLSS point on a quick scroll down through the names.

 

There are at least three USGS marks with UNK dates EF0715, 720 & 722 - all on RR structures. You might be able to find these listed

as an occupied point (look for the name, not the PID) in one of the Precise Level Net run's of the early 1900's. See Sp Pub #18

 

Happy Hunting, kayakbird

Edited December 28, 2010 by kayakbird

[68-eldo]

I did a Google search (Thomas freeman surveyor) and came up with a lot of information on him. You might have to do some digging to find the information you want.

 

Hope this helps

[+mtbikedirtygirl]

Thank you all so much for the reserach information. I think/hope it will help me. I have done alot of research so far on Thomas Freeman, James Weakley and John Coffee. Although Thomas Freeman has been my main interest. I infact have placed a geocache in honor of Thomas Freeman Grand-Daddies of my addiction in Alabama. There has been so much work that has gone into monumenting these benchmarks and I think that they should be points of interest to cachers to honor. Since of course I think the paved the road for geocaching. Thanks again for all the information. I know it will be helpful.

[+mtbikedirtygirl]

The work of Thomas Freeman should be in the archives of the Bureau of Land Management. He worked rather extensively to lay out the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) in Alabama in his role as "Surveyor of the Lands South of Tennessee." The BLM may have information on the marks he set as part of that effort. I regret that it's not likely that many, if any, have been included in the National Spatial Reference System maintained by NGS. You might also try contacting the Alabama Society of Professional Land Surveyors (www.aspls.org)

 

Thank you so much DavidD. I contacted the locat chapter here in the Tenn Valley on www.aspls.org. I got a response almost immediately. Then shortly after the email got a phone call from a gentleman that works at the local PLSS. He has invited me to come down to his office and look at the information he has. I am so honored and excited. Looks like I do have a lot of research ahead of me. I am so looking forward to learning more about this great surveyor (Major Thomas Freeman) and hopefully finding some mark he has monumented. Thanks again!!!