Henry Lainson:

Improper Research and Two Grave Markers.

by Terry Foenander.


As of early August, 2008, it has been noted that Mr. Gray has removed his biography of this person, an obvious result of Gray's having noted all the evidence shown at this web site. However, the damage has already been done, since his numerous errors and inaccuracies (which are included on every single biography at his web site), have now spread all across the Internet.

The grave of Henry Lainson, a veteran of Throckmorton’s Company of the 4th United States Artillery, lies in the Presbyterian section of the Melbourne General Cemetery, in the state of Victoria, Australia.   Research on this veteran was conducted in the early 1990’s by the late Roy Parker, of Sydney, New South Wales, and Barry Crompton, of Melbourne.   After proper research conducted by these gentlemen, a memorial plaque was ordered through the Veteran’s Administration, in Washington, D.C., by a descendant of Lainson, and installed at his unmarked grave, in 1992.   All the correct procedures were followed to the letter, and regulations adhered to, as shown in the application form, issued by the VA.

Some fourteen years later, a member of the American Civil War Round Table of Queensland (in Brisbane, Australia), Mr. James Mason Gray, without bothering to follow protocol, or go by the book, decided, of his own volition, to apply for a grave marker for the very same person and grave, at the Melbourne General Cemetery.   The instructions on the VA application forms clearly state that the cemetery should be contacted, and permission obtained, and that, if the grave is already marked in any way, no application should be sent in.

Unfortunately it would also seem that the Veterans Administration is at fault, or else no documentation of a previous application and approval is kept on file, otherwise they would have been able to advise Mr. Gray that the grave was already marked with a plaque from their department.   But the main fault is with Mr. Gray himself, for not even bothering to contact the cemetery, or finding out if the grave is marked, as clearly stated in the application forms.   It would seem that some form of deception was practised, as there are questions, on the application form, asking about contact with the cemetery, and the grave itself.

At any rate, the grave marker was sent, and received by the American Civil War Round Table of Queensland, after which they made enquiries, and found out that the grave already held a plaque – the same plaque that was installed some fourteen years before.   So, without further word to anyone about this major error, the additional marker was kept in storage, and remains so, to this day, a reminder of the complete lack of research or even any attempt to indulge in such an activity by Mr. Gray, just one of many such incidents

For more inaccurate biographies, see "A Litany of Errors."

Page Created, March, 2008 (Updated August, 2008).