Find A Grave resource question

Question

It appears that my third-great grandfather died in an asylum (Kankakee State Hospital). He is listed in the 1910 census as an "inmate." I am assuming this is more akin to "inpatient" in modern parlance. His headstone shows that he died in 1910. However, his Find A Grave profile information shows a more detailed date of October 6, 1910. 

I was finally able to locate his wife in the 1910 Census, and she is listed as a widow. The date on the census sheet is April 15.  

So, I guess really I have two questions here:

1. Does anyone know if there is anyway to find out how/why this initial profile information was entered on Find A Grave? 
2. Was it at all customary to presume the role of a widow after your spouse was committed?

Answers to either of these questions may help point me in the right direction. I am having a really hard time tracking down his death certificate and/or finding anything regarding his admission to the hospital. And his wife pretty much completely disappears after the 1910 census. 

 

Any insight is much appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

The only way is to contact the person who created the memorial. That person is listed down near the bottom of the memorial page near where the source citation link is.

Comments

Thanks. That's what I figured, but thought I'd see if there was any other way. This line has been pretty frustrating to research. I'm happy that I finally found more information, but as usual it comes with its own set of ropes.

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The next challenge is to get a response. A couple of memorials that aren't based on the gravestone in my family get no response from polite inquiries. Others have gotten very helpful people replying.

Answer 2

With regard to Question 2, I don't know if it was customary, but I encountered a case around the same time where a couple evidently had a less-than-amicable separation.  In two subsequent census records, both of the spouses declared themselves widowed, even though both were still living, and living not very far apart.  I can understand that the wife in your case (especially if living alone) may have reported herself a widow just to avoid any further explanation.

Comments

I have that on one of my great grandmothers death certificate. She was a widow. Her husband was alive and well in another city about 20 miles away.