The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1866-11-02
Roger WiIiiams--Search for his
Remains--EHis Body Absorbed
by the Roots OF a Tree--A
Curious Incident. 80 ri.


Rev. J.. il, MeCARTY, of Gil c%innati,
is writing a series of very entertaining
articles for the Ladies Repository, on
ROGER WILLIAMS, the founder Of the
State of Rhode Island, In the last
number we find the following curious
and Interesting statement concerning
the remains of tho distinguished man:
Ninety years after his death, in 1771
steps were taken to erect to him some
suitable monument, but the storms of
the Revolution came on and the work
was forgotten. But recently the ques-
ton has been agitated anew, and Will.
Jams may yet at least have some out
ward sign 10 mark his greatness and
pcrpetuate his name. During Il per-
iod of one hundred and cighiy-threc
years not even n rough stone has been
set up tomark the grave of tho founder
Of Rhode Island, till the precise locali-
ty Of his grave had been almost for
gotten, and could only be ascertained
by the most careful invcstigation.-
Suffice it to say, however, the spot was
and the exhumation made Il
short time ago, though there was little
to exhume. On scraping off the turf
from the surface Of the ground, the
DIM outlines of seven graves, contained
within less than one s%quarerod, reveal
ed the burial ground of Roger Will
In colonial times each family
had its own burial ground, (which was
usually near the family residence
Three of these seven graves were those
ofchildrcn, the remaining four were
adults. The easterly grave was iden-
titled as that of Mr.. Williams. On dig
ging down into the "charnal house
il was found that every thing had
passed into Oblivion. The shapes of
the collins could only be traced by a
dark line of c-arbonaceous matter. the
thickness of the sides of the cofiins.
with their ends, distinctly defined
The rUsted remains ofthe hinges and
nails, witha few fragments of wood
and n round Knot, was al that could
be gathered from his grave. In the
grave of his wife there was not Il trace
Of any thing save a single lock Of
braided hair, which had survived the
lapse Of more tban one hundred and
years. Near the grave stood a
venerable apple tree, when and by
whom planted, is not known. This
tree had sent two of its main roots into
the graves of Mr.. and Mrs. Williams
The larger root had pushed its way
through the earth till it reached the
precise spot occupied by the skull of
Roger Williams. There, making a
turn, as if going round the skull, it fol-
lowed the direction Of the backbone to
the hips. Here it divided into two
branches, sending one along each leg
to the heel, whcrothey both turned up
ward TO the toes. One Of these roots
formed a slight crook at the knee,
which makes the whole bear q very
close resemblance to n human form
This singular root is preserved with
great care, not only as an ILLUSTRATION
of a great principle in vegetation, but
for its great historic association. There
were the graves, emptied Of every par
ticlc Of human dust! Not a trace of
any thing was left 1t is known to
chemistry that all flesh and gelatinous
iA"SNNA |AfihE NOii0lNb'ilIg ~ llC DOlcb
are resolved into carbonic acid gas,
water and air, while the solid lime
dust usually remains. But in this case
ever the phosphate Of lime ofthe bones
Of both graves was all gonel There
stood the "guilty apple tree" as was
said at the time, caught in the very
act Of 'robing the grave"
To explain the phenomenon is not
the design ofthis article. Such an ex-
PLANTATION could be given, and many
other similar cases adduced. But this
fact must be admitted the organic
matter Of Roger Williams had been
transmitted into the apple troe it had
passed into the woody fiber, and was
capable Of propelling a steam engine
it had doomed in The apple blossoms,
and had become pleasant 70 the eye
and, more, thad gone into the fruit
from year to year, so that the question
might be asked, Who ate Roger Viii
liams?'