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Couple of things -- I've seen a couple of places where stones were carved wrong, and used as pavers.... why they didn't flip them, I don't know. I also stayed at a B&B where the walkway was also headstones, and other flat stones, from the local graveyard, where the stones were broken for some reason (and used in the walk) and replaced by family. The owner told me why -- and it was perfectly plausible and not creepy... but I can't remember it, it was so long ago.
Very likely -- because the OP said a neighbor had referred to the house where bodies were laid out. In short, it could have been a sort of funeral home of the day. Undertakers often took care of arranging for the grave marker.
As an aside, I once went hiking near a stone quarry where the make headstones. Off in a a valley alongside the quarry I found a bunch of tombstones, some obviously broken.
Other stones were intact and complete. I asked a local guy about that, and he says that's what they do if someone orders a stone but does not pay for it.
This does not read like a grave stone to me, but rather like a memorial. I have never seen a stone that refers to how long someone was married to their spouse. You mention that you believe the John listed on the stone died in 1838, but I believe the Jan 23, 1838 date is referring to their wedding date, not his death date.
That information on a grave stone, including the epitaph, is not unusual at all. The addition of the marriage date might be a bit uncommon. It does imply that the family was well enough off financially to be able to afford the additional carving. I have a several times great grandmother who is buried in the back yard of a private residence that is on what was her family property. It has her name (including her maiden name - which broke down a genealogical brick wall for me), her husband's name, her dates of birth and death, and a short epitaph.
That information on a grave stone, including the epitaph, is not unusual at all. The addition of the marriage date might be a bit uncommon. It does imply that the family was well enough off financially to be able to afford the additional carving. I have a several times great grandmother who is buried in the back yard of a private residence that is on what was her family property. It has her name (including her maiden name - which broke down a genealogical brick wall for me), her husband's name, her dates of birth and death, and a short epitaph.
I took a look at her father's headstone (linked to on Find a grave above) and it was interesting to note that his headstone also says "In Memory of" and has quite a bit of writing on it (long quote at the bottom). Doesn't prove anything, but suggests that maybe this was also a headstone perhaps.
Interestingly, I also found that John bought land in Lafayette County in the mid-1840s. He and his father owned land in Saline County. John moved the kids back there a few years after Adaline died. He is buried in Saline. This might suggest that Adaline was buried on the family property but since it did not remain in John's control (he moved and presumably sold it), perhaps a later owner didn't understand there was a grave on the property and repurposed the stone.
In any case, all of Adaline's relatives are buried either in Lafayette County (her parents, her sister) but John is buried back in Saline with his parents and some of his kids.
Some where along the line, Adaline's resting place was lost. So sad in a way, but how wonderful that the poster is trying to find out where she is!
This might suggest that Adaline was buried on the family property but since it did not remain in John's control (he moved and presumably sold it), perhaps a later owner didn't understand there was a grave on the property and repurposed the stone.
Sadly, perhaps the person who repurposed the stone did know there was a grave there.
Sadly, perhaps the person who repurposed the stone did know there was a grave there.
That's what I'm thinking. Of course we'll never know for sure, but let's say John and the children buried Adaline behind their house and put a gravestone there. Or, her family may have put a gravestone there for her at some later point. A few years later, John and his children moved back to Saline. Their house may have fallen down after a few years, or been removed for other purposes.
We know from what the OP said that her house wasn't built until 1904 -- that's more than 50 years after Adaline died. So, a good chance that her lonely headstone was just found nearby and used when the new house owner needed a stone to shore up that front porch. But, it does at least solve a mystery for Adaline's descendents, who didn't seem to have a good birth date for her. They know know that, plus they also know approximately where she was buried.
Perhaps the OP, if she has access to ancestry.com, can post this information on the forum there. But, it's already turned up in Google search, so it is likely that at some point a Nowlin descendent will stumble upon it and perhaps put all the pieces together.
There are no pictures on the memorial as of yet, but the family would probably love to have the OP's pictures and story if she were to share them on FindAGrave.
There are no pictures on the memorial as of yet, but the family would probably love to have the OP's pictures and story if she were to share them on FindAGrave.
Someone uploaded it yesterday. I'm sure it's going to be appreciated
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My 3rd GG
