Grave seekers find unmarked graves of early South Dakota pioneers and settlers

Before the advent of church and public cemeteries, pioneers and early settlers of Dakota Territory were often buried in an unmarked grave near the house where the funeral was held.

And even in historic cemeteries, not all graves are marked.

This is where grave sorcerers can help.

Using only a skein of wire, these gifted individuals can find unmarked graves. Some of them can even determine whether the bodies are male or female.

Whether you want to believe it or not, some have the gift of grave witchcraft.

Thirty years ago, Freeman farmer Norman Hofer wasn't a believer ... until he became one ... until he became one.

"He knew I didn't believe a word of it. The man was very excited about it. Reuben was beside himself, and then the man says, 'It has worked for some people, but not for others. Maybe it will work for you." They gave me the same wires and said, "Just walk on them and see what happens."

"Go from north to south."

And I remember seeing Matt Dillon on TV, the sheriff, the new sheriff in town, how could he walk like that. And I picked up these two wires and I realized I was Matt Dillon walking with two revolvers. ... And I started walking slowly, being very careful to make sure they were pointed straight ahead. The damn things were crossing over. I stepped back, and they straightened up. I walked again, and they crossed. I walked a little more. They straightened up and crossed again," Norman Hofer recounts.

Hofer discovered his gift in the cemetery of the Odessa Reformed Church. The church is long gone. There was only one marked grave in the century-old cemetery.

"It has nothing to do with whether you believe it works or not, because I don't believe it works and I don't want it to work. But it just works," Hofer said.

Graves caretaker Marv Thum immediately believed in it, because he is part of a small group of volunteers who spend hours caring for the historic Blaha German Cemetery. And he wanted even unmarked graves to be honored.

"I'm actually quite comfortable in the cemetery because I'll be there soon, too," Marv Thum said.

In his 88th year, Marv Thum is a retired postmaster with deep roots in Bon Hom County.

"All my ancestors who came from Russia are buried there. And also friends, parents, grandparents from our local farm who are buried there," says Tum.

Tum asked to be taught how to conjure graves and on the first day he discovered 30 unmarked graves. Tum can tell whether the occupant of a grave is male or female, adult or child.

"You stand on one side of the grave and use a side step or cross it, and if the wires cross, it's a man. And if they open, it's a woman. And to find out if they're an adult or a child, you go up to where the head should be and you start or start until you get a kick and until the wires open again. If it's about five or six feet, it's usually an adult. If it's three or four feet, it's a young person or a child, so that's all you can say," Thum said.

Over time, it became known that Marv Thum and Norman Hofer had a knack for grave witchcraft. Before the Veterans Memorial was built in Freeman, Norman was asked to help locate unmarked graves that local lore said were on the land. And Toom has helped many farmers locate the resting place of their lost relatives.

"The funniest thing we can try is with you. With you or with you. And with you. For some people it works and for some people it doesn't," Hofer said.