A Gravestone Mystery

Shannon Wolf

Corporal
Joined
Jan 11, 2017
Location
Jacksonville, FL.
My 3x Greats Grandfather and Grandmother are buried in New Union Cemetery, Wingate, Centre County, Pennsylvania. None of the family I have asked know why, but there are 2 grave markers. One that has both their names on it, and one that is damaged but appears to be for him. We know both belong to him because the damaged marker has his Civil War service record on it. Both stones show on Find A Grave. For whatever reason they are not listed as one anomaly. Even though the dates clearly match up. Also interesting is the Find A Grave listing for the damaged stone has a detailed service record for him (Including Mention of Grandmas application for her Widows Pension) . Anyone have any thoughts on why there are two? They also have Jemima listed as Jemma...weirdos.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161261631/jemma-ammerman
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/161261429/joseph-ammerman
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30446106/joseph-b-ammerman

Service Record:
via SAC 47532264
Private, Company B, 18th Pennsylvania Cavalry. At war's end, the 18th Pennsylvania Cavalry and the 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry were consolidated to form the 3rd Pennsylvania Provisional Cavalry. Joseph was mustered out with Company B, 3rd PA Provisional Cavalry on October 31, 1865. Born in Greene County, Pennsylvania. Filed for a pension on June 6, 1888, application number 658,527, certificate number 490,093. Wife Jemima Ammerman filed for a widow's pension on June 22, 1897, application number 657,144, certificate 453,952. Disability cited as rheumatism, unable to do manual labor in the 1890 Veteran's Census.
 
Well, that is a bit to figure out as the two Findagrave memorials (should only be one; duplicates are verboten) have very poor photos and it's not really clear if they're for the same grave or, if there are really two stones, how the stones are placed.

Multiple stones are not uncommon and I've seen quite a few in my little cemetery. Three reasons I've seen for two stones:

one is the family marker and the other is a military stone - usually the military one precedes the family one which might be placed after the spouse dies;
one stone is for the individual and another is a family marker with multiple persons listed;
the original stone was replaced (sometimes so that all the stones in a family block match) but, at some time, the original was re-set or the original just never got removed.

I think if it were me I'd request that the second memorial be deleted (as it violates Findagrave rules) and also put in a photo request stating clearly that you want front and back of any stones and a proximity photo showing the general area and their proximity. As you are family you could also request that the memorial (the original one) be transferred to you and then you could edit any content.
 
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Well, that is a bit to figure out as the two Findagrave memorials (should only be one; duplicates are verboten) have very poor photos and it's not really clear if they're for the same grave or, if there are really two stones, how the stones are placed.

Multiple stones are not uncommon and I've seen quite a few in my little cemetery. Two reasons I've seen for two stones:

one is the family marker and the other is a military stone - usually the military one precedes the family one which might be placed after the spouse dies;
one stone is for the individual and another is a family marker with multiple persons listed;
the original stone was replaced (sometimes so that all the stones in a family block match) but, at some time, the original was re-set or the original just never got removed.

I think if it were me I'd request that the second memorial be deleted (as it violates Findagrave rules) and also put in a photo request stating clearly that you want front and back of any stones and a proximity photo showing the general area and their proximity. As you are family you could also request that the memorial (the original one) be transferred to you and then you could edit any content.

I didn't know I could do that! Awesome Thank you. It's definitely 2 separate stones. Even though the second one is broken. The spousal thing may be why. He died aways before Jemima. 1897 for him 1915 for her. The first stone is clearly a different material and harder to read but has his actual date of death whereas the other one is just the years of birth and death. I wonder if they are buried together now.
 
Here's a little tutorial on Findagrave:

1. To request that management be transferred to you you need to contact the manager of the memorial and ask. When viewing the memorial you'll see (under the name, dates, and place of burial) "Source" - that's the person who manages the memorial. Click on that person's name and you'll be taken to their home page. If they allow messages send them one requesting transfer (include the URL). Be sure to note your relation to the deceased (you have to be a direct relative).

Some people have messages turned off and if that's the case you'll need to send an email to Findagrave administration asking for transfer. That address is [email protected] (again, you'll have to include the URL and state your relation). If you send a request message to the memorial manager and they don't respond then, after a month, you can email findagrave at the address provided and ask that they transfer management.

It's findagrave policy that direct family have priority for management and if a direct relative requests transfer the manager must comply. If the manager doesn't comply findagrave will do it.

2. To get the duplicate memorial deleted (the earliest dated one is the recognized one, even if the second one has better or more correct information) you should first contact the manager of the duplicate, note that theirs is a duplicate (show them by including both URLs), and ask that they delete it. If they don't respond or refuse to delete then, again, you'll need to email findagrave, tell them you've contacted the manager of the duplicate, include both URLs, and ask that they delete the duplicate.

It can take a while before findagrave responds but, generally, they eventually do (or they used to back in the good old days before they were bought by Ancestry; can't testify as to current response times).

Hope that's helpful. I don't care for the new findagrave web design and they deleted the chat rooms where you could get help so it's now far from clear how to negotiate such things. Good luck.
 
The Memorial on Joseph was created 10 years ago, the two that have the same tombstone image were created two years ago. The 10 year old Memorial has the information about the CW, as shown (via SAC 47532264) was a edit sent by member 47532264 to be added, who has also left flowers on the Memorial.

I wonder the location of Joseph's 1897 grave with that of his wife's from 1915? Are they side by side or in different sections of the cemetery.
 
If one is the family marker, and the other a military headstone, that is very common. An officer from Ohio that I have his uniform coat, his grave has both markers.
 
The Memorial on Joseph was created 10 years ago, the two that have the same tombstone image were created two years ago. The 10 year old Memorial has the information about the CW, as shown (via SAC 47532264) was a edit sent by member 47532264 to be added, who has also left flowers on the Memorial.

I wonder the location of Joseph's 1897 grave with that of his wife's from 1915? Are they side by side or in different sections of the cemetery.
I'm curious as to that as well. PA is aways from Florida but I want to go. I'm curious about where my Grandmother was born and what drew all those members of our family there. Then onto Ontario, NY in the teens. I will have to work on the Findagrave info and I want to contact the cemetery to see what info they may have.
 
Hope that's helpful. I don't care for the new findagrave web design and they deleted the chat rooms where you could get help so it's now far from clear how to negotiate such things. Good luck.
Bless you for your help. I would've never thought I could influence them to fix an error :smile: now I have my marching orders.
 
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