One stone’s mystery might have been solved, second one’s origin unknown

Deputies try to solve mystery of old gravestones

A South Carolina sheriff’s office is using social media to try to solve an old mystery. The York County Sheriff’s Office earlier this week posted information and images of two old gravestones on YouTube and Facebook. The original Facebook post said: “In 2004 a citizen in Clover off the 200 block of Jackson Lake Lane found two tombstones on the side of the road. One fully intact - the other the top half of a broken headstone. Nearby churches were called, no other church or cemetery reported a missing, broken or damaged headstone. “So since 2004, the stones have been sitting in evidence, not marking graves. We don’t know if the stones were stolen, taken in a prank, damaged or if they were dumped after they were replaced. Detectives just know the markers shouldn’t be in the YCSO evidence lot. The fully intact stone reads: ‘Luther Parrott Dec. 18, 1894 - Jan. 18, 1936, Gone but not forgotten.’” “The broken stone reads: ‘James R. Smith,’ and what we can read: ‘March 2’ possibly 187? or 19 something. It’s broken right on the year. “If you can help in this case call Detective Walter Beck at 803-628-3059.” The Sheriff’s Office posted Wednesday on Facebook: “From your help and posts, we are fairly certain, now that we've spoken to the pastor of the Goshen Presbyterian Church in Belmont, North Carolina, the Luther Parrott stone is from there. “We need to do a little more investigating on James Smith. Thank you all for your help!!” To get breaking news alerts sent to your phone, click HERE to download the WYFF 4 app.

A South Carolina sheriff’s office is using social media to try to solve an old mystery.

The York County Sheriff’s Office earlier this week posted information and images of two old gravestones on YouTube and Facebook.


The original Facebook post said: “In 2004 a citizen in Clover off the 200 block of Jackson Lake Lane found two tombstones on the side of the road. One fully intact - the other the top half of a broken headstone. Nearby churches were called, no other church or cemetery reported a missing, broken or damaged headstone.

“So since 2004, the stones have been sitting in evidence, not marking graves. We don’t know if the stones were stolen, taken in a prank, damaged or if they were dumped after they were replaced. Detectives just know the markers shouldn’t be in the YCSO evidence lot. The fully intact stone reads: ‘Luther Parrott Dec. 18, 1894 - Jan. 18, 1936, Gone but not forgotten.’”

“The broken stone reads: ‘James R. Smith,’ and what we can read: ‘March 2’ possibly 187? or 19 something. It’s broken right on the year.

“If you can help in this case call Detective Walter Beck at 803-628-3059.”

The Sheriff’s Office posted Wednesday on Facebook: “From your help and posts, we are fairly certain, now that we've spoken to the pastor of the Goshen Presbyterian Church in Belmont, North Carolina, the Luther Parrott stone is from there.

“We need to do a little more investigating on James Smith. Thank you all for your help!!”

To get breaking news alerts sent to your phone, click HERE to download the WYFF 4 app.