The cache container is a large plastic pill bottle, with log and a few small trade items. Bring your own pen. Please carefully re-hide cache the same way you found it. NOTE: As of July 2020 the cache container is now a bison tube. Log only.
My brother-in-law helped me check that everything worked the way it was supposed to and got a First To Find Micro Geocoin as reward. The post-publication FTF will get another of the same.
This is part of my “Learn About Kurten” series of caches. The cache name is taken from the title of an old hymn.
The cache is in Kurten Cemetery, which was established in 1868 when Gertrude, the second daughter of Kurten community founder Henry Kurten, died at 2 years of age. According to accounts this nearly broke Mr. Kurten's heart and, not wanting to bury her in the old cemetery, which was quite a distance from their home, they buried her on a hill a short way from their log house. Mr Kurten later donated this land to the community for use as a cemetery. Both Kurten and his wife Augusta are buried here, within the wrought-iron fence in the center of the cemetery.
Cemetery is at the top of a hill and is the highest location in the vicinity. There is a graveled road from the farm road, and you can drive inside the cemetery. If you look over the fence to the east, you can see the steeple of Zion Church in the distance.
Congrats to TxAg11 for the FTF!
IMPORTANT INFO! –
You will need this information to get the cache. The given coordinates take you to the gravel road which leads to the gate of Kurten Cemetery. Proceed through the gate and on to the first stage coordinates.
You will visit the graves of several people who were, in their own way, important to the community of Kurten in years past, and collect information to complete the coordinates for the final stage.
COORDINATES FOR THE FINAL STAGE: N 30°47.ABC W 096°16.XYZ
N 30°47.374 W 096°16.856 The tombstone of Kurten founder Henry Kurten and his wife Augusta. The day of Henry's birth = A
N 30°47.368 W 096° 16.856 The tombstone of Dr. W. F. Odom. Dr. Odom practiced medicine in the community for many years, delivering babies and treating various ailments and broken bones. The first digit of the day of Dr. Odom's death = B
N 30°47.351 W 096°16.856 The headstone of Gus Jopp and his wife Pauline Huff Jopp. Gus Jopp had a repair shop where for many years he did mechanic and welding work for the farmers and others of the community. He always believed in doing the job right. He was my grandfather. The second digit of the year of his birth = C
N 30°47.372 W 096°16.885 The headstone of Margaret L. Jopp and her first husband Hugo Jopp. Margaret Jopp Ramby served as postmaster for the Kurten Post Office for 36 years. The post office building currently in use was built by Hugo and Margaret in the 1940s, and was renovated in 2009. Add the last digit of Margaret's birth year to the last digit of her death year = X
N 30°47.409 W 096°16.870 The headstone of Rev. John Meiller and his wife Bertha. Rev. Meiller was pastor of Zion Evangelical Church (now Zion Church, Kurten) from 1936 through 1940. Add the first 2 numbers at the end of the Bible verse together = Y
N 30°47.411 W 096°16.889 The headstone of Claude Brocksmith and his wife Alice Klintworth Brocksmith. Claude Brocksmith owned and ran the general store in Kurten for around 50 years. Notice the engraved depictions of the store buildings on the back of the headstone. The second digit of the year of his death = Z
Plug these numbers in to the appropriate places in the final stage coordinates. The completed coordinates will lead you to the cache. Please be careful to re-hide the cache the same way you found it.