Gravestones questions

[Winston]

Greetings and Merry Christmas to all! I'm new here.

I've just begun researching relatives who fought in or at least mustered up during the Civil War. I've done enough research to know that the gravestone images linked to below are of the type provided at a small cost ($1.25?) to relatives by the government. Am I correct in that? My questions:

1. Why no date of birth or death on the stones?
2. Were these provided for any veteran of the war or just MIA presumed dead or KIA?
3. Are the stones any proof that the body is buried in that location or were they placed for MIA, too?
3. What does the bronze star signify in one of the images?

Many thanks in advance for any help on this. The images:

http://illinoisancestors.org/cemphotos/d/35480-2/4_CW_BENNETT_JAS_+CO_A_+35+IA_INF_.JPG

http://illinoisancestors.org/cemphotos/d/2579-4/bergen_hillhenry.jpg

 

[John Winn]

Welcome from Southern Oregon (northern Jefferson).

Government stones were (and are) provided at no cost to any veteran. Originally, they were only available to those buried in national cemeteries but, with lobbying by the G.A.R., were soon also made available to those buried in private cemeteries. Birth and death dates weren't provided; just name, sometimes rank, and unit. I have seen a few where the family had dates engraved after delivery but the standard stone of the day did not have them.

Military stones for CW veterans were only provided for those actually buried; not sure about today. They did not have to have died while in the military; just had to have served. So, yes, you can be assured that someone is actually buried in front of the stones.

The bronze stars were provided by the G.A.R. and are simply testimony that the person buried is a veteran. It's possible that the military stone wasn't erected until some time after burial and so the star would have been the only note of a veteran's grave. There are several like that in the cemetery where I volunteer.

Hope that helps.

 

[JCK]

Can you get a new CSA headstone now?

 

[John Winn]

Can you get a new CSA headstone now?

Yes. However, note that the government does not provide replacements nor will they provide one if there's already a private stone - i.e. the military stone has to be the original stone - i.e. the grave has to be unmarked. Also, there are restrictions on who may apply for a stone.

https://www.va.gov/vaforms/va/pdf/va40-1330.pdf

 

[UCVRelics]

Can you get a new CSA headstone now?

The SCV & UDC will provide a new CSA headstone so you don't have to deal with the government. I would contact your local SCV or UDC camp and I assure you they will help replace it.

 

[JCK]

I am in SC and the graves are in VA. Guess I need to contact VA SCV.

 

[UCVRelics]

Guess I need to contact VA SCV.

Where are they in VA? I will get you contact info for both the UDC & SCV camps where they are located.

 

[JCK]

GRAYSON COUNTY. VA

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

greetings and Merry Christmas to all! I'm new here.

Welcome !

And a Merry Christmas to you !

 

[Patrick H]

Yes. However, note that the government does not provide replacements nor will they provide one if there's already a private stone - i.e. the military stone has to be the original stone - i.e. the grave has to be unmarked. Also, there are restrictions on who may apply for a stone.

https://www.va.gov/vaforms/va/pdf/va40-1330.pdf

This is very interesting information. I have seen a grave or two with Confederate military stones right over private stones. Ergo, my question is: When did this private stone exclusion start...as far as you know?

 

[UCVRelics]

Here are the links to State SCV & UDC
https://www.scvvirginia.org/about-us
https://hqudc.org/divisions/

 

[UCVRelics]

This is very interesting information. I have seen a grave or two with Confederate military stones right over private stones. Ergo, my question is: When did this private stone exclusion start...as far as you know?

Without looking at the markers if they were over or at the head of a flat family markers they are UDC or UCV, (SCV)

 

[John Winn]

This is very interesting information. I have seen a grave or two with Confederate military stones right over private stones. Ergo, my question is: When did this private stone exclusion start...as far as you know?

As far as I know that's the way it's always been but I have to admit I've only seen regulations of relatively recent origin (see link provided previously). It's common for graves to have originally only had a military stone and then later family put up a private stone so I'm guessing that's what happened at the ones you have seen. At the cemetery where I volunteer we found three military stones that had been stored in the sexton's tool house for decades for men who had private stones and we feel the military stones were the original markers and were removed when the private stones were erected (they did show signs of having been in the ground). In those cases we put the military stones back out next to the private stones (two were WWI and one WWII).

All of our CW veterans who have a government stone have only the government stone (we think obtained by the G.A.R. some time after their deaths). A number of our CW veterans have only a private stone, some with their unit inscribed. So, that leads me to feel that the restriction to only unmarked graves has been in place since the beginning.

 

[JOHN42768]

Welcome, enjoy

 

[Rebforever]

Greetings and Merry Christmas to all! I'm new here.

I've just begun researching relatives who fought in or at least mustered up during the Civil War. I've done enough research to know that the gravestone images linked to below are of the type provided at a small cost ($1.25?) to relatives by the government. Am I correct in that? My questions:

1. Why no date of birth or death on the stones?
2. Were these provided for any veteran of the war or just MIA presumed dead or KIA?
3. Are the stones any proof that the body is buried in that location or were they placed for MIA, too?
3. What does the bronze star signify in one of the images?

Many thanks in advance for any help on this. The images:

http://illinoisancestors.org/cemphotos/d/35480-2/4_CW_BENNETT_JAS_+CO_A_+35+IA_INF_.JPG

http://illinoisancestors.org/cemphotos/d/2579-4/bergen_hillhenry.jpg

Winston, go into the Veterans Administration website the necessary papers can be found there for getting a headstone.

 

[major bill]

Now you all make me want to get a veteran stone for my father who is WWII veteran or at least get a VFW flag holder as he was a a life member. I suppose he should get a flag when they put out flags. Not sure it really matters that much.

Not sure I want a veteran head stone for me after I am gone. Hate to make the government spend the money.

 

[Patrick H]

Now you all make me want to get a veteran stone for my father who is WWII veteran or at least get a VFW flag holder as he was a a life member. I suppose he should get a flag when they put out flags. Not sure it really matters that much.

Not sure I want a veteran head stone for me after I am gone. Hate to make the government spend the money.

OF COURSE your father should have a flag on Memorial Day. He is perfectly entitled to a military monument stone, too. I'm a taxpayer who is glad to support efforts such as this.

 

[major bill]

OF COURSE your father should have a flag on Memorial Day. He is perfectly entitled to a military monument stone, too. I'm a taxpayer who is glad to support efforts such as this.

He died a couple years ago. He did not have a flag this year and suspect he will not have a flag next year unless I do anything. I guess his overseas service in the Navy during WWII should count.

 

[rayfer66]

Rebforever is correct. Go to VA website to get order forms. I ordered my Great Grandfathers stone and it was delivered to my home.