Susan Violet (Wadlow) Herron was born in Springfield, Missouri in 1860, most likely into slavery. Her parents may have been Nelson and Violet Wadlow. In 1870, young Susan was living in Cave Springs, Missouri, in the house of a white physician, Dr. Thomas W. Coltrane. On March 18, 1877, Susan married James Aaron Herron at the home of Nelson Wadlow in Greene County. In 1880, Susan was living outside of Cave Springs with her husband and young son. Over the years, Susan and James Aaron had at least three children - Ross, Fannie, and Malgie. Sometime before 1900, the Herrons moved to South Calhoun Street in Ash Grove. By 1910, they had moved just outside the city limits. Susan died two years later, in 1912, of unknown causes (Russel 2012).

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Grave Marker: The gravestone for Susan V. Herron is a pulpit style limestone monument on an upper and lower base. The west face of the marker contains the text and engraved images: a braided rope design down both edges, a leaf design above “Asleep in…”, and a rose image below “Asleep in…". A relief of an open book (representing a bible) is located on the upward facing side of the monument. Excluding the bases, the monument is 38 x 16 x 10 inches in size. The upper and lower bases together measure 10 x 20 x 14 inches in size. In 2009, the headstone was detached from the base. By 2010, the headstone had been re-set on the base. The monument is in fair condition; impacts include a large chip on the edge of the upper face, erosion due to weathering, and lichen growth. A footstone about 7 feet west of the headstone is engraved with the initials "S.V.H." 

West face of monument

Text on headstone

  Asleep in Jesus
    SUSAN V. 
        WIFE OF
    AARON 
        HERRON
   DEC. 25, 1860
        APR. 11, 1912
         _______
      Though lost to sight 
        to memory dear

     Text on base
       HERRON

South side of monument

Upward facing side of monument

East face of monument

Footstone