Information in some online databases can change. The “name” of a memorial on FindaGrave can be one thing today and another tomorrow if a correction is made. The “original” name for the memorial may never appear anywhere after it has been changed. A blog post may change between the time it is downloaded to use as a reference and the time it is actually sourced in a piece of writing.
Original records should not change, but enhanced or missing images may be uploaded after they were originally accessed.
5 Responses
All Memorials do NOT mean someone is actually buried in the cemetery or buried any where (i.e. in the ocean, river, lake etc) I also have seen duplicate memorials for the same person in the same cemetery. Getting them merged seems impossible. I know as I am trying to reconcile our historic (since 1899- for Florida) cemetery records with the memorials on findagrave. With some 4900 memorials, it will be a busy summer.
You are correct. I’ve seen memorials added for people that are in the wrong cemetery, which I knew because I’ve been to the cemetery where they aren’t buried and the cemetery where they are buried. I’ve seen others where, as you indicate, there are duplicate entries in the same cemetery. I’ve also seen situations where the person is dead and listed in a “cemetery” but know from personal experience that there are no graves that early and no records of burials.
Changes, which can be made to Find-A-Grave, once you’re registered, makes it nice if you truly know the information and have the concrete backup. However, when photos are switched out, this can be problematic when one has used the FAC as a source. Happily, for me, I had saved the original photo once I came across the FAC for my 8th great-grandfather. That photo has since been changed out. What it showed was the Huguenot Church placed his year of birth as 1702, when others try to make it 1712. FAC is not used as a viable source on one site by which I participate. This is another reason to just walk away …
Pictures of the stones (especially ones that are good) can be really helpful. The other information sometimes is questionable. I tend to focus on pictures of stones and only submit corrections if the name of the person is incorrect. The other material that may be wrong ends up just being too much for me to try and correct all of it.
Hopefully, those photos were ONLY saved and not republished (i.e. posted on any other site).