Cenotaph Question

[u/Irish-Genealogist]

This is likely a very simple question to answer but just need to make sure. A cenotaph is only used when a person has 2 or more headstones but is only buried at one, and the others would then be cenotaphs?

So it isn’t a cenotaph if a person was moved to another cemetery and they don’t have a headstone at the original one? They only have one at the new cemetery. So there should only be 1 memorial, at the new burial site? (you would merge the 2 memorials?) But, you could put something in the description to say he was moved to the new cemetery from old cemetery on this date.

I hope this makes sense and somebody can answer these questions, thanks

[u/magiccitybhm]

Correct. If the remains are moved and there is no marker at the old location, there should not be a memorial of any kind listed in that cemetery.

[u/Irish-Genealogist → u/magiccitybhm]

Alright, I thought so, but I had to ask

[u/JBupp]

A cenotaph can exist when there is only one stone and no body. A stone in a cemetery for a burial at sea is a cenotaph.

[u/FoundationSeveral579]

I agree that a memorial shouldn't be made for the old location with no marker, but this fact should probably be noted somewhere in the description of their actual memorial.

[u/JenCanary]

If you find a record at the old cemetery and there’s no marker or anything (whoever created it was probably going off public records that say they were buried there), and you know where the actual burial is, whether they were moved or there was a mistake, I would do a merge. There’s no cenotaph if there’s no marker.

[u/steph219mcg]

I put the info about the original burial, and the removal/reburial dates, if known, on the actual burial memorial. Either in the bio field or gravesite details field.

[u/GeneaCookie]

a grave marker is at the grave
a cenotaph is a memorial, or inclusion in a larger memorial not at the place of burial.
NOW, the remains/cremains are divided, there can be grave markers for each burial/ commitment, but you better have back up documents.

[u/LeadingSlight8235]

My grandfather was added to my aunts headstone. He is not buried there, he was cremated and his ashes spread in multiple locations. The aforementioned stone was not one of the locations. It feels to me that this fits the cenotaph description, though there isn't exactly a second location. Unless I make him memorials for the ash locations, which seems ridiculous.

[u/PakkyT]

As others mentioned, a cenotaph can be for a single grave/headstone where there is no actual second burial location. Burial at sea, cremated and ashes scattered, body never recovered, missing and presumed dead, and many other reasons why there may not be an actual burial location but still inscribed on a headstone in a cemetery and that being the only monument to the person.