Brass Rods Stolen From Veterans' Graves In Northwest Ohio

Brass Rods Stolen From Veterans' Graves In Northwest Ohio

An Update on the Status of the George D. and Lucy L. Stedman Original White Marble Double Marker

 

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I have been told that this double marker for George D. and Lucy L. Stedman was rescued from a storefront building in downtown Wellington, Ohio. It is not known where it was before that. 

This stone is currently at Addie's Antiques at 135 East Herrick Avenue, in Wellington. Phone # 440-647-0990. The contact person for this stone is Mr. Doug Dunham who works most Sundays at Addie's Antiques. He is selling this stone for $250.00. The children and their family are buried at the Spencer Cemetery in Spencer, Medina County, Ohio. 

When I first saw this beautiful old gravemarker a week ago I did not see any pricetag on it. I was hopeful that perhaps it was waiting for pick up by a Stedman family descendant. But, that is not the case apparently. I learned today that the stone is indeed for sale. It would require a great deal of skillful work to remove the cement, brick etc. from the stone without destroying it. I am hoping it goes to a good home regardless.

The children are buried at the Spencer Cemetery in Medina County where there is a large four-sided monument erected for the family. The children's names are inscribed on one of the sides. Memorials for them are posted on Find A Grave.

I am not aware if there are any laws that prevent people from selling old gravestones in Ohio, especially in cases such as this where there is another marker in place at the gravesites.

I spoke to Doug Dunham this afternoon who is working at Addie's Antiques, and he said that the people he got the stone from said they were going to throw it out otherwise. 

I hope it goes to a good home; preferably to a descendant or to a historical society that would accept it and properly take care of it.

How My Antiquing Adventure Turned into an Unexpected Tombstone Discovery

A successful summer trip for me would include researching at local libraries, looking for local artifacts at antique stores, and of course, walking through local cemeteries.  

What I don't expect would happen, though, is to find a tombstone sitting on the floor at an antique store!  But, that is exactly what did happen to me this past weekend in Wellington, Ohio! 

I photographed the mystery tombstone, and below are the pictures: 

 

  

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This beautiful old double tablet white marble gravestone appears to be original for brother and sister, George D. and Lucy L. Stedman who died as children in 1861 and 1862, respectively.  Unfortunately, there is a heavy amount of cement encasing the back of the whole stone, and part of a red brick was attached to the top center suggesting that the marker was once part of a structure; in a wall perhaps at the Stedman family home?  There was no price tag on it, thankfully, and no one in the store knew why it was there. 

When I got home, I started my search on "Find A Grave" for George D. and Lucy L. Stedman.  I discovered that brother and sister, George and Lucy, and their parents, George S. and Lucy, and their brother, Charles M. Stedman, were all buried at the Spencer Cemetery in Medina County, Ohio.  So, I was pleased to learn where they were resting in peace and that they were with their family.  But, I noted no gravestone photographs are posted for any members of the Stedman family.

 

At this point, I knew I had to contact a Spencer Township Trustee about George D. and Lucy L. Stedman to learn if there are, indeed, gravestones at their gravesites at the Spencer Cemetery.

 

Fortunately,  I found Spencer Township trustee, Mr. Scott Neptune, and Mr. Tom Brown, who also works at the Spencer Cemetery.  Both were of great help with answering my questions.  

 

Thanking Tom Brown for visting the gravesites of the Medina County Stedman family and for taking photographs of the tall four-sided dark gray granite monument that includes all of their names. 

 

(See Tom Brown's pictures below)

 

 

 

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Questions remain where the children's original stone was located for so many years.  Perhaps it was kept at the Stedman family homestead and was saved prior to its demolition? 

 

And, what about its future, if that can be known at this point, for this beautifully carved original marble gravestone for a brother and sister who died so young and so long ago.