I am not related but am currently repairing a badly broken gravestone for Michael (Van Buskirk and am hoping for some help. This stone and two others were shattered when a car drove through the cemetery. I tried to find every piece but there are still some fragments missing which is making the detailed epitaph difficult to decipher. I will be filling the missing areas and sculpting in the missing letters, so I want to be sure of what I put in stone!

Michael appears to have been an important person from the research I have done so far. This is the inscription of the gravestone: Michael Buskirk/ BORN IN VIA./ Jan, 28, 1782/ DIED/ July 16, 1856/ AGED 74Y. 5M. & 10D/ He emigrated west in early/ life; was a soldier in the war/ of 1811&12; was one of the/ first settlers of Monroe Co./ Ind: was one of its first Co./ Commissioners; Helped to ???/ ???ise the Co. and locate ????/ Co. sea????s afterwards ass???/ inte?????udge for ?????n years.

As you can see it gets pretty iffy at the end due to missing pieces and general wear. I figure if anyone knows his accomplishments they may help me fill in the blanks. I also have photos of the gravestone if that would help.

Michael was the son on Isaac and Jerusha (Littell) Van Buskirk and is buried in Tippecanoe County, Indiana.

Thank you for your help!