Historical Sidney: Graceland Mystery Cache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(regular)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Organized in 1867, Graceland Cemetery occupies a rolling and terraced terrain of 112 acres on the south side of Sidney, Ohio. From the dignified family monuments to the uniform, government-issued markers for the soldiers who fought for our country, Graceland mirrors much of Sidney’s past. This mystery cache tells some chapters of Sidney’s story. It’ll take you on a walk through Graceland with brief stops at the final resting places of five of Sidney’s citizens of the past. From stop to stop, you’ll use pencil and paper for some simple math clues with individual’s birth and death years that will take you to the next stop. The clue at the last gravesite will direct you to a hidden cache. Note that all newly calculated coordinates throughout this mystery cache will share the same N 40 16. and W084 09. prefixes. Just the final three-digit extensions will change.
Special thanks… The Bangkok Kid thanks The Shelby County Historical Society for their contributions used in the preparation of this cache.
Now on to the first clue…
Clue to Stop #1: To the North latitude listed above, ADD 115 to the 216. To the West longitude listed above, ADD 27 to the 296. Re-figure and enter the new coordinates into your GPS. Now find the new waypoint. If you’ve done your math correctly, your walk will take you to the gravesite of William Van Fossen.
William Van Fossen
Van Fossen was born in Butler County then moved with his family to Port Jefferson east of Sidney. He became a farmer and never had a day's schooling in his youth. At the age of 17, Van Fossen left overland for the gold fields of California with his father to seek their fortune. Their return home six months later was by sea. During a scheduled stop at Lake Nicaragua in Central America, eighteen year old Van Fossen decided to leave his father and explore the world on his own. After sailing a schooner on Lake Nicaragua for three months, Van Fossen sailed to San Francisco where he joined expeditions to Central America throughout the 1850’s. Further youthful adventures were serving as a cabin boy on a ship bound for Australia then as a steward on a steamship working between Rio de Janeiro and San Francisco. Then after seven years back in the California gold fields, he returned to Sidney in 1859. Enlisting as a private in the 99th Ohio Volunteer Infantry in 1862, Van Fossen was seriously wounded at the Battle of Nashville. He was discharged as an orderly sergeant after three years of service and returned to Sidney. Disabled by his war injuries, he remained highly regarded by his fellow citizens until his death.
Clue to Stop #2: For the next stop, SUBTRACT 1617 from William Van Fossen’s birth year. This new number is ABC. Next, SUBTRACT 1610 from his death year. This new number is DEF. Substitute ABC & DEF into the coordinates that follow then head for the coordinates to the gravesite of C.H. Roman.
C.H. Roman (N40 16.ABC W084 09.DEF)
Little is know of his youth on a family farm northwest of Sidney. Beginning in 1901, he taught school in North Dakota, Montana and Washington. After a few years of teaching, he worked as a traveling commercial salesman. In 1917, Roman, his wife Myra and their eight children returned to his family's farm to operate it with his father. That arrangement lasted six years after which he enrolled in law school. In 1927, after careers as a teacher, salesman, booking agent and farmer, Roman began a career in Sidney as a lawyer. A practicing agnostic, Roman’s views were influential in his monument that he designed three years prior to his death. Local religious leaders were outraged. Roman apparently was amused by the controversy his monument generated. Be sure to take a moment to read the monument inscriptions. One is left to wonder why he embraced agnosticism in such a public way.
Clue to Stop #3: For the next stop, SUBTRACT 1542 from C.H. Roman’s birth year. This new number is GHI. Next, SUBTRACT 1626 from his death year. This new number is JKL. Substitute GHI & JKL into the coordinates that follow then head for the coordinates to the gravesite of James O. Amos.
James O. Amos (N40 16.GHI W084 09.JKL)
James O. Amos grew up on a family farm in Monroe Country, Ohio attending school during the winter and working the farm during the summers. Between the ages of eighteen and twenty-seven he was a teacher while working on the farm. While on the farm, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1859 and immediately began practicing law. In 1861 he was elected prosecuting Attorney of Monroe County and served two terms. He was appointed School Examiner in 1860, an office he held until 1870 when he resigned after he had been elected to the Ohio Senate from the nineteenth district. He served two terms and in 1874 was appointed Adjutant General, a position he held for two years. During this term, the nucleus for the present system of the Ohio National Guard was founded for which he was given an honorary “General” title. After moving to Sidney in 1876, General Amos purchased the "Shelby County Democrat" newspaper becoming its editor and publisher. Other than publishing, Amos was identified with several manufacturing enterprises in Sidney, more for the purpose of encouraging the growth of Sidney than from a financial investment.
Clue to Stop #4: For the next stop, SUBTRACT 1692 from James O. Amos’ birth year. This new number is MNO. Next, SUBTRACT 1568 from his death year. This new number is PQR. Substitute MNO & PQR into the coordinates that follow then head for the coordinates to the gravesite of I.H. Thedieck.
I.H. Thedieck (N40 16.MNO W084 09.PQR)
Born in Germany to merchant parents, Thedieck moved to America at the age of 16 and to Sidney when he was 20 years old. Taking after his father, Thedieck started in the dry goods business in 1875. In 1878, Thedieck and his brother entered into another dry goods partnership establishing Thedieck Bros. Later that year, he married Ida Wagner, daughter of Mathias Wagner, the most influential man in town. In the years ahead, they had four children. Thedieck Bros. was destined to last only four years. In 1882, Wagner purchased a lot to the north of the court house on Poplar Street and built the most modern shopping facility in town. By 1900, Thedieck had become well known throughout the Midwest as a master merchandiser. To increase the economic well being of the town, Thedieck personally brought several new businesses to Sidney, including the Sidney Machine Tool Company. Thedieck shared his vast business experience with numerous businesses, including Whipp Machine Tool Company, Anderson Body Company, The First National Exchange Bank and the founding of the Sidney Telephone Company. None of these, however, was his most significant contribution. In 1909, Thedieck single-handedly raised funds in the community together with his own substantial investment and purchased the assets of Monarch Machine Tool Company moving it from Detroit to Sidney. Thedieck became the first president of Monarch and launched the company on a series of business ventures that transformed Sidney. As his activities in his various businesses slowed, his involvement in civic affairs increased. His death in many ways marked the end of an era.
Clue to Stop #5: For the next stop, SUBTRACT 1554 from I.H. Thedieck’s birth year. This new number is STU. Next, SUBTRACT 1580 from his death year. This new number is VWX. Substitute STU & VWX into the coordinates that follow then head for the coordinates to the gravesite of Charles Starrett.
Charles Starrett (N40 16.STU W084 09.VWX)
Charles Starrett was born in Ireland and lived in Virginia and Pennsylvania before coming to Ohio. In 1812, Starrett purchased 508 acres of Miami County, later a part of Shelby County. Seven years later, Starrett donated 70 of those acres for the founding of Sidney near the center of the county. As part of the deal, Starrett wanted half the proceeds from the sale of lots. Agreement came quickly and 113 lots were laid out in the original plat. Starrett’s deal also stipulated that one acre be set aside for a public square, two half acres for two different denominations of religious societies, one acre for each of two different denominations for cemeteries, and one acre for schools. He also conceded all springs within the property for the use of the town and "the privilege of conveyance to the town". The known facts of Charles Starrett’s life are meager. In fact, executors of the will of Mr. Starrett’s father wrote him off as a beneficiary, noting that he probably died in Kentucky. History does know that he died in Ohio and was buried in Sidney...twice! First laid to rest in the old Presbyterian Cemetery near the city center, his body was removed to Graceland in 1912 and now rests beneath a Washington Monument style grave marker. Noting the passing of "Chas. Starrett, Sr.", the monument marks the life of a man short on recorded personal history, but long on public accomplishment.
Clue to the cache: It would seem that Charles Starrett’s birth year is either weathered away or was never inscribed on his monument. Therefore, SUBTRACT 1433 from his death year. This new number is YZA. Substitute YZA into the coordinates that follow then head for the cache.
Cache coordinates: N40 16.118 W084 09.YZA
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Va n gerr arkg gb Furn