Within the past two months, a small piece of Vader history has gone missing. The missing piece is a small memorial stone taken from the Little Falls Cemetery in Vader. The stone was located and last seen next to the sitting bench in the back part of the old section.
The stone is inscribed with the dates January 2, 1923 - January 6, 1923 and the baby's name Nigel James Bowen Son of Ralph & Virgil "Virgie" M. Bowen. The cemetery cannot find the family or relatives of this baby boy and he seems to have been buried at this cemetery alone. There were several Bowen families living in the Vader/Ryderwood area in the 1920s according to records. It is not known where the families went after the baby's death.
The missing stone was small: approximately 12 to 14 inches high, 10 to 12 inches wide and 2 to 3 inches deep. Due to the age of the stone it was a grey/black color. The cemetery has notified the local police of this theft.
The Little Falls Cemetery is asking if anyone knows what might have happened to this stone. Contact Darlene Williams at darwilliams@centurylink.net or call (360) 295-3951 if you have any information about the stone or the Bowen family. According to Darlene the best outcome would be the return of the memorial stone and to find a family member.