How do we get a tombstone replacement?

Nathanb1

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OMG. I was all excited last weekend by a genealogy discovery...found my uncle's grandfather's tombstone on Find A Grave (long story).

fletcher tombstone.jpg


Saw that 4th Alabama and went into overdrive. Unfortunately, it's wrong. He was actually in the 49th Alabama (Captured at Port Hudson and sort of drops off the radar after that, till after the war). How in hades do I get a new one...my cousin is a descendant--her grandfather is his grandson. And the cemetery is not far away...it's in Gatesville, Texas. Help on this will be greatly appreciated. I imagine he's been spinning unchecked in his grave since 1920...
 
Great find Ms. Nathan. Here's a link to what you need to do:

https://www.cem.va.gov/hmm/order_instructions.asp

Now then, you'll need to provide proof of relationship and that the unit designation is incorrect, so be prepared. As to unit, a service record is the ticket. As to relationship, well, you'll have to spell it out somehow with whatever documentation you've got.

At the cemetery where I volunteer we've been able to obtain stones for two guys who didn't have one and it wasn't that hard although we did have to have some well-written evidence. Since your request will be for a replacement and not a new stone there might be some questioning I've not experienced so be prepared (you'll be dealing with a bureaucracy). Also, the old stone is the property of the U.S. government so they might require you to surrender it somehow (but I doubt it).

Good luck !
 
Great find Ms. Nathan. Here's a link to what you need to do:

https://www.cem.va.gov/hmm/order_instructions.asp

Now then, you'll need to provide proof of relationship and that the unit designation is incorrect, so be prepared. As to unit, a service record is the ticket. As to relationship, well, you'll have to spell it out somehow with whatever documentation you've got.


Since 2017, providing direct lineage is no longer required. Per VA Form 40-1330, "Claim for Standard Government Headstone or Marker":

"WHO CAN APPLY - Federal regulation defines “applicant” for a Burial Headstone or Marker that will mark the gravesite or burial site of an eligible deceased individual as:

(i) A decedent's family member, which includes the decedent's spouse or individual who was in a legal union as defined in 38 CFR 3.1702(b)(1)(ii) with the decedent; a child, parent, or sibling of the decedent, whether biological, adopted, or step relation; and any lineal or collateral descendant of the decedent;

(ii) A personal representative, defined as a family member or other individual who has identified himself or herself as the person responsible for making decisions concerning the interment of the remains of or memorialization of a deceased individual;

(iii) A representative of a Congressionally-chartered Veterans Service Organization;

(iv) An individual employed by the relevant state, tribal organization, or local government whose official responsibilities include serving veterans and families of veterans, such as a state or county veterans service officer;

(v) Any individual who is responsible, under the laws of the relevant state or locality, for the disposition of the unclaimed remains of the decedent or for other matters relating to the interment or memorialization of the decedent; or

(vi) Any individual, if the dates of service of the veteran to be memorialized, or on whose service the eligibility of another individual for memorialization is based, ended prior to April 6, 1917. " [emphasis added]

This has allowed for anyone to provide military headstones for those who served in the Civil War but whose families did not apply for one.

-Yulie
 
The one in the photo you posted is a UDC grave marker so I don't know what you will get from the VA.
 
Since 2017, providing direct lineage is no longer required. Per VA Form 40-1330, "Claim for Standard Government Headstone or Marker":

"WHO CAN APPLY - Federal regulation defines “applicant” for a Burial Headstone or Marker that will mark the gravesite or burial site of an eligible deceased individual as:

(i) A decedent's family member, which includes the decedent's spouse or individual who was in a legal union as defined in 38 CFR 3.1702(b)(1)(ii) with the decedent; a child, parent, or sibling of the decedent, whether biological, adopted, or step relation; and any lineal or collateral descendant of the decedent;

(ii) A personal representative, defined as a family member or other individual who has identified himself or herself as the person responsible for making decisions concerning the interment of the remains of or memorialization of a deceased individual;

(iii) A representative of a Congressionally-chartered Veterans Service Organization;

(iv) An individual employed by the relevant state, tribal organization, or local government whose official responsibilities include serving veterans and families of veterans, such as a state or county veterans service officer;

(v) Any individual who is responsible, under the laws of the relevant state or locality, for the disposition of the unclaimed remains of the decedent or for other matters relating to the interment or memorialization of the decedent; or

(vi) Any individual, if the dates of service of the veteran to be memorialized, or on whose service the eligibility of another individual for memorialization is based, ended prior to April 6, 1917. " [emphasis added]

This has allowed for anyone to provide military headstones for those who served in the Civil War but whose families did not apply for one.

-Yulie

Good point. However, if one is applying on the basis of relationship then one has to supply evidence of such.

The two my cemetery got were based on the fact that our cemetery is an historic cemetery under Oregon law and we knew of no living relatives (i.e. under v, above).
 
Or. Get a stonecutter to place a 9 on the stone you have. Looks like there is space for that.
GREAT IDEA and would solve the problem and it would be a great story to go with the marker in place.
 
...Saw that 4th Alabama and went into overdrive. Unfortunately, it's wrong. He was actually in the 49th Alabama...

Are you that sure he was never associated with the 4th Alabama? Men mustered around quite a bit in those days. If he spent a month in the 4th for some reason, temporary field reassignment, or as the 49th needed to be reorganized at one point; well...

At least the 49th as a unit had at various times been named / or folded in / associated with / the 52nd, 27th, 35th, 55th and 57th Alabama regiments at different times, if not specifically the 4th, though an individual could have been assigned there.

The 4th itself had been associated with several other units, per a unit history title here:

"4th Alabama
Infantry Regiment, as well as the 15th, 44th, 47th, and 48th
Regiments, is taken from Willis Brewer's Alabama : her history,
resources, war record and public men, from 1540 to 1872.
Spartanburg, SC : The Reprint Co., 1975.
"
 
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@ucvrelics, how do you know this? It looks like a VA marker to me - the Maltese Cross at the top of it is a Masonic symbol. Did the UDC use it?


Most of the UDC originals had a circle around the Southern Cross, and the SWT was at the feet. They don't do that anymore.
1552355505663.png
 
Are you that sure he was never associated with the 4th Alabama? Men mustered around quite a bit in those days. If he spent a month in the 4th for some reason, temporary field reassignment, or as the 49th needed to be reorganized at one point; well...

At least the 49th as a unit had at various times been named / or folded in / associated with / the 52nd, 27th, 35th, 55th and 57th Alabama regiments at different times, if not specifically the 4th, though an individual could have been assigned there.

The 4th itself had been associated with several other units, per a unit history title here:

"4th Alabama
Infantry Regiment, as well as the 15th, 44th, 47th, and 48th
Regiments, is taken from Willis Brewer's Alabama : her history,
resources, war record and public men, from 1540 to 1872.
Spartanburg, SC : The Reprint Co., 1975.
"

He wasn't in that long before Port Hudson and I can't find anything after he was paroled. I'm not certain, but they were nowhere near, so I sort of doubt it. I will research more, though (I thought about this, but after I couldn't find other service, I sort of got on other things).
 
Well, the proof of relationship wouldn't be difficult. I've already found the relationship to my uncle in the census, and I already had his daughter, so her daughter should be easy. I go prepared. :dance:
 
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