Genealogy Chat

Not an official government one - it was after the Maori Wars and he had been in the local militia, was also a mason so it was a fairly big funeral. The newspaper report says he was buried according to his wishes "at the top of the hill" - in heavy rain and very slippery with mud. Considering he had been to organise life insurance, lost his temper when they told him what the premiums were, then dropped dead (uninsured) he must have been quite a character.

Peter

I've done a bit of transcribing of gravestones in my local area and a number of times I have found things like, "And also of James Henry, son of the above, who died aged 34 in South Africa and was interred there" added on a family stone.

Often these seem to have been added as a sort of explanatory memorial, I think - like a way of saying "He was our son but he was unable to be buried here".

I have something similar with my grandfather. I have absolutely NO IDEA where his ashes are, and neither do the rest of the family, but there is a plaque on his parents grave for him. I have checked with the cemeteries department who confirm catergorically that he is not there, but you would never know it from the plaque.
I know where he isnt, but no idea where he is.....

Peter,

I came across a similar example this summer when looking at gravestones for my husband's family in Westmoreland in the UK.

The gravestone listed hsuband, wife and 3 of their children ..... at least 1 of the children wasburied elsewhere, but the other place of internment was mentioned.


sylvia

They say you need three sources to confirm something - so try this....
I have known for some time that four of my wife's great great grandparents are buried in St Andrew's Churchyard, Auckland, New Zealand.
However I was surprised whilst researching in the Auckland library to find that there is a gravestone for a Howell Williams there as well! He was my wife's great grand uncle, and died in 1875.
I checked on Sunday and the gravestone is definitely there.What intrigues me is that I have a newspaper description of his funeral - in the Shortland Cemetery in Thames!!! Thames is 72 miles from Auckland.
I am absolutely certain that I have the right person, with documentary evidence.
I suspect that his son is buried in the Auckland churchyard and that his widow, Ellen (remarried as Johnson) erected the stone as a tribute to her late husband. Both son and Ellen are mentioned on the stone. I would doubt that he would have been exhumed and reburied. Even so, what would have happened if I had found the grave first?
I am now checking to see if the church has any records confirming one way or the other? The death was 7 Dec 1875, the Shortland funeral was 9 Dec 1875 and the newspaper report goes into great detail including the fact that a volley was fired over the grave which was then filled in.
I have relevant certificates....but still have evidence of the same person buried in two places!!

Peter