In the case of a cenotaph and actual burial location, do I add both sources?

+10 votes
184 views

I have been working on the Gooderham clan (from Toronto, Ontario), adding new people and fixing/sourcing the old profiles.  I have discovered that the sources of her headstone in the family plot at Ontario (on Canadian Headstones, and FG) are cenotaphs as she is actually buried in BC.

I have currently written this " She is buried in Penticton[3] , and the tombstone[4]in Toronto is a cenotaph." in the bio.  I worry that this will be flagged by the data doctors.

Is this an issue?  Should I source/write it differently?

WikiTree profile: Marjorie McDonagh
in Policy and Style by Kathryn Penner G2G6 Mach 6 (64.3k points)

3 Answers

+8 votes
 
Best answer

First, definitely add both sources. You have clearly explained that one is a cenotaph.  yes

Secondly, a suggestion would happen if the FindAGrave memorial dates or locations don't match your profile and you use FindAGrave as a source.  Both FindAGrave memorials give the same death place. The suggestions don't check burial information.  

However, your death place is incomplete.  You should evaluate whether FindAGrave has a correct location for the time period.  Sometimes, they use a current location which is not what we do at WikiTree, we use the location as it would have been known to the person in the profile. I know nothing about locations in Canada or I would fix it.

If the location you use is different than FindAGrave's location next week, you should evaluate your profile's location and also the location FindAGrave has.  If you have the correct location, mark it as a false suggestion.  

I added sameas=yes to the first FindAGrave template you have.  This will ensure that only that source will be checked.

by Kathy Zipperer G2G6 Pilot (473k points)
selected by Susan Laursen
+10 votes
Absolutely! I post all sources I can, regardless of whether or not it might trip a wire somewhere.

Be aware that what the Data Doctors post are called "Suggestions" for a reason. You can always mark them as False if they truly are. Since they are automatic checkers, they don't have the logic built in to differentiate between sensitive details like those you mention above.

However, it would be good to put some text around the information you're adding, so that future reviewers of the profile won't make the mistake of using the wrong source to update the dates, potentially incorrectly. Note that since we don't have a field for "burial location", I suspect this won't get flagged, but you never can tell.
by Scott Fulkerson G2G Astronaut (1.5m points)
You could always mark the burial date as 'before' in the data fields - after all, he would have to have been dead before he could be buried! ;)
I agree, and what you have written in the bio is fine! My only comment is that if all you have is a burial date, I generally mark the date as "about" rather than "before" because it wasn't uncommon, especially further back in time, to bury someone the same day they died. I do the same with a baptism date, depending on what seems typical for the family.
+8 votes
I concur with the other answer that include all available sources. If you want add a notation of the duplicate facts such as burial and cenotaph.  My family has quite the military background and often come across a similar situation(s) as yourself.  Some folks may differ but IMO it is your tree and the facts are the facts.  Stay safe and healthy.
by John McCulligh G2G5 (5.2k points)

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