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Author Topic: Tracking down place of burial (Montana)  (Read 319 times)

Offline ceitidh.

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Tracking down place of burial (Montana)
« on: Sunday 18 May 25 00:17 BST (UK) »

Hello,

I am trying to track down the resting place of an ancestor of mine who passed away in Huntley, MT in the early 50's. The person in question is one Alexander MacMaster/McMaster, he was born in Scotland in October 1877 and emigrated to North America in the early part of the 20th Century - sometime between 1901 - 1908.

He was married, but his wife and infant daughter sadly died in Jan/Feb 1908 in Casper, WY. I know that Alexander spent the rest of his life working as a "sheepherder" in both WY and MT.

I found his obituary in the Billings Gazette which states that he's to be interred in Calvary Cemetery. His death certificate, which I have a copy of, also confirms this. However, when I reached out to Calvary Cemetery to see if they could find his grave, they said they have no record of him. I'm curious if anyone can shed any light on whether or not it would be common for a place of burial to be listed on a death certificate, but for that to not actually be where the individual was interred? 

Any and all thoughts/suggestions are welcome!
Invernesshire: MacMaster/McMaster, Stewart, MacDonald, Cameron.
Skye: Bain, MacLeod, MacKinnon, MacNab, Bethune.
Fife: MacMaster/McMaster, Paterson, Mowbray, Blyth.
Glasgow: Costello, Haughey, McLaren, McPhee.

Now you may live a different place,
Brought up and lived a different way,
But if you have our blood in your veins,
Then you will know us, know home, know who you are.
- ancestors : albannach

Offline amondg

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Re: Tracking down place of burial (Montana)
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 18 May 25 01:40 BST (UK) »
How far back do the records go for Calvary Cemetery?

If he was buried with no headstone perhaps that's why they have no record of him.

Offline shellyesq

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Re: Tracking down place of burial (Montana)
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 18 May 25 17:08 BST (UK) »
I have seen situations before where people wind up buried somewhere other than what's listed on the death certificate or obituary, so it happens sometimes. 

A few ideas:

If he was alone in the area, money for the burial might have been an issue.  I don't know what the laws about burial were in Montana then, but in a rural area, maybe they were still burying people on private property?  Since he had been a sheepherder, perhaps a former employer was willing to bury him on the farm.

Is there any other cemetery named Calvary somewhat near the area? 

The obituary said that his funeral was at St. Patrick's church.  I don't know if they would have any record of that, but looks like they still exist.  https://www.stpatrickcocathedral.org/  It also said the funeral was handled by Settegren Funeral Home.   Looks like they were bought out by another funeral home.  https://www.michelottisawyers.com/about-us  May be a longshot, but they might still hold the records.
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