Eaton Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1843-1856, 1855-01-25
Fortified Human Bodies-A veritable Wonder.

Mr.. George Lane who has charge of Wood
land Cemetery near this city, was called
upon the other day by Mr.. George P. 10y,
who resides about three miles southeast of
Germantown, in this county, 10 remove the
remains Of his first wife, a grandchild and
other bodies, from a family burying ground
upon his farm, and inter them in his lot, in
the Germantown Cemetery" The burying
ground was made many years ago, upon the
side Of a little hill, in a field, some distance
from the residence of Mr.. L., in accordance
with the custom in the Miami Valley, at that
day, when almost every property holder had
a burylng place upon his farm.
The first grave opened was thatof Mr.. Lny's
first wife. who was inferred about twenty. fou.
years ago. On reaching the coffin, it was
found TO be perfect-at least to appearance
and the men proceeded 10 completely unearth
it, and raise it 10 the mouth OF the grave
This, they soon ascertained to be a difficult.
task, and the small force engaged at il was
compelled 10 procure assistance.
The aid Of six men was at length obtained,
and it required all their strength 10 raise the
coffin from its bed, and place it upon the
ground beside the grave /! 1t was supposed by
those engaged in the disintefment, that the
coffin was filed with water, on account of its
extreme beaviness, but after it was taken
from the grave, it was rDeasurab!y dry, and no
signs of water could be discovered. The lid
was then with difficulty removed, when il
was sSceTtained that the body was in an ex-
cellent state Of preservation.
The Shroud, and indeed all the covering
which was upon the body at the time Of the
intement, twenty-f four years ago, had disap-
peared - not a vestige of them remained
The body was perfect, except the right leg,
from the knee to the ankle joint, where the
flesh seemed 10 haze wasted away, and lay
at the bottom of the coffin in a substance re-
sembling ashes mixed with sand. With this
exception OF decay, the body and limbs ex-
hibited the same perfectneSs of exterior they
did when life and animation we're in the body.
The body, inteed, had been petrihed 1t
was by some strange quality Of the earth, and
other causes Of which we can form no %conjec-
ture, turned into stone OF a drab, or, more
properly speaking a flesh color; and the chisel
OF the artist might initiate, but could not make
so close a resemblance 10 the "buman form
divine" The smile which lighted up her
countenance at the moment when death gen.
tly united the cord which bound the soul TO
clay, still seemed 10 linger upon tho face Of
stone!
The grave of the grand child Of Mr.. 10y
was next entered, and the coffin exhumed -
1t was also found TO be heavy, and when open
ed, the corpse presented much the same APP
pearance as that of Mrs. 10y. 1t was not as
perfect, however, although petrifed. The
body and limbs had about the same appear
ance they did ia lie, but the exterior had lost
its life-like nlo The most remarkable
thing connected with the remains Of the child
was, that the hair upon the petrifed skull
was, to all appearance, the same as in life
Mr.. Lane clipped a small ringlet from the
crown and tied it into a knot. The other
bodies which were exhumed- one or two in
number-were only partially petrife1, and
were mostly decayed.-Dayton Empire.