While photographing tombstones in a South Carolina Presbyterian Cemetery, I noticed over 20 stones of women who lived during 1800s. These were women who were married and had children. Some were widows when they died others had husbands still alive. There is no evidence these women were anything but normal married women in South Carolina.. other than many of the families have ties to County Antrim, Ireland.

These tombstones have the womens first name and maiden name in big prominate letters. Underneath in smaller less important letters is "wife of.. their husbands name".

There are over 20 of these while there are a 100 that are normal with Women shown by their married names.. some with maiden in middle of their name or with nee underneath first and married Surname.

I also found a court case in 1831 about the estate of a woman who came from County Antrim. Her nephew was claiming her son was illegitimate and not entitled to her estate. From the story of the case I found this statement.

"Witness after witness testified that “females in my time always were called by their maiden names.” For Eleanor to be known as Mitchell while married to Gault, they each said was common. They also knew Eleanor in Ireland as either Nelly or Ellen."

Is this common in County Antrim?

Some of the families with ties to County Antrim are.
Faires/Faris, Hutchison, Garrison, Steele, Roach..

Help me explain these tombstones and women not being known by married name.
attacked two of the stones