The habit of disinternment/reinternment was more popular back in the day. Like the pharaohs of ancient Egypt, we had our impressive burial monuments. I’ve been to Lincoln’s and McKinley’s. But unlike the Egyptians, we didn’t spend 20 years of national effort to build them while they were alive. We waited until they were dead and then built them. Couldn’t have the body laying around stinking up the place in the meantime you know.
Good points. I can understand moving someone from a battlefield grave or a quickie grave when he suddenly dropped dead in Des Moines, but President Monroe had a perfectly decent burial the first time.