Until death do us part!

So I came across this really interesting story this morning, while up at stupid o’clock and I thought I would share it, and some other interesting tales around the same theme, which is death and burials. 

First of all we are heading to Natchez city cemetery, Natchez, Mississippi.

Now there are two interesting story’s here, the first is that of Florence Irene Ford. 

So Florence was a little girl who was born on the 3rd of September 1861, sadly she was not destined to have a long life and died in 1871 aged just 10 years old, from yellow fever. 

Her mother clearly distraught, wasn’t prepared to just bury her daughter and forget. And remembering how terrified her little girl was of storms and how she has always comforted her at such times, she determined that she must continue to do the same, even in death, and so mother, Ellen, commissioned a very unique grave for her daughter, one where she could continue to comfort her daughter, when a storm rolled in. 

So Florence’s casket was fitted with a small glass window, and behind her headstone lay a set of metal doors, beneath which were stairs leading to her daughters casket. 

When a storm filled in her mother would rush to her grave, enter through the the metal doors and close them behind her, so that she might continue to comfort her daughter even in death, singing and reading to her presumably until her own death.

And visitors to Natchez city cemetery can still visit Florence and sit and comfort her through a storm, however, the glass window into her coffin has now been walled off with concrete, to protect her resting place from vandals. 

But how devoted must her mother be, and despite her early death it is clear that Florence was a lucky girl to have such a devoted mother. 

Also in the Natchez city cemetery, you can find the turning angel statue. Who watches over five, young female employees, who were the unfortunate victims of a gas explosion on the 14th of March 1908, in the basement of the Natchez drug company. 

The victims tombstones are marked only with the last names and the youngest was just 12 years old. But their former employer was said to be so distraught by the accident and resulting casualties, that he paid for all of the women’s burial plots and then commissioned the stone angel to stand over their places of rest. 

However, the angel has developed a reputation all of her own, as people have reported that the angel seems to turn to watch people and cars as they pass by!

There is even a book named after the angel, written by a local author, Greg Iles. 

The final story takes us to a new location. The Evergreen cemetery, in New Haven, Vermont and a Doctor, Timothy Clark Smith. 

Doctor Timothy Clark Smith has a fear know as Taphephobia. Which is a fear of being buried alive. An apparently pretty common fear during the 18th and 19th centuries, and with good reason, given that it was well known that people who were very sick, were often pronounced, incorrectly as being dead, by their doctors. There was even a name for it, Lazarus syndrome, which is described as “the spontaneous return of circulation, after failed attempts to resuscitation.”

Now, this was pretty scary stuff, and coffins that had been exhumed, often showed signs of scratch marks on the inside of their lids, where those inside had essentially awoken, and in an understandable panic, tried to claw their way out. So violently that the bodies were found to have broken fingernail and bloody hands, while their faces were contorted with fear, can you imagine!!

So, when Doctor Timothy Clark Smith died in 1893, clearly aware of these cases, he had put in place measures to ensure he did not suffer the same fate, by arranging to have some rather special features built into his burial chamber. 

The first of which was a long air tube, that emerged close to his grave, along with a four foot square window that was part of the lid of his coffin, and weirdly at ground level, so that passers by could actually see his body, a bell presumably so he could summon help, should he be struggling extricate himself from his tomb and a hidden stair case, so that should he awaken he and I guess manage to free himself, he could just get up and walk on out of there. 

Sadly that was not to be however, as it turns out Doctor Timothy Clark Smith, was indeed dead. 

I can’t help wondering though if perhaps ones if Doctor Timothy Clark Smith own patients had fallen foul of his miss diagnosis and he was a believer in Karma or something lol. 

Either way what a creepy thought, and I can’t help wondering if his peep hole into his grave was ever blocked up, as sweet young Florence’s was or if people can still gaze down on his bones in repose. Creepy! 

Given the time of year this is kind of a fitting topic too. 

Do you know of any unusual burial tales, is so feel free to share them in the comments, and if you’ve visited the doctors grave and know the answer to whether he is still on display or not, again let me know. Although feel free to keep any photos you may have snapped, to yourself. 

Love and hugs all

Joss xx