My contact with a long-time member of the Chesterfield Meeting recalls that there was a period of time, maybe in the 1800s, when cemeteries were being desecrated and tombstones stolen. As he recalls, it was determined that the Meeting had a responsibility to stop the desecration and destruction, thus, the decision to remove tombstones and protect the deceased by not drawing attention to them. My source is out of state, just now, but he will look this up in their records upon his return next month. Nancy of Ellsworth, Me formerly of Mansfield Twp.