The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-05-07
A Cremationist of the Olden Time.

considerable attention to the subject of crema-
tion or burning of the human body, which is
now being discussed extensively throughout
the country. The annexed interesting incl
dent is given by the World, and it is con-
cerning one of the Revolutionary patriots of
South Carolina, which gives it additional claim
upon the attention of our readers:
In citing exam pies of cremation in modern
times, one of the most noteworthy has been
overlooked. 1t is important, not only from
the high character of the person, but from
reasons which bear directly upon the subject
as discussed by the World. 1t is that of
tation, December IL, 1892. The connection of
Henry Laurens so prominently and creditably
with our early national life renders the carry
ing out of his last wish the more interesting.
A citizen of Charleston, he became most
successful merchant, amasslng large fortune
during business career in which be was dis
tinguished for his accuracy, integrity and the
punctuality with which he met all business
engagements. Having gone to Europe for the
education of his son, he was one of the thirty
nine who petitioned Parliament against the
Boston port bill. Having done all in his power
to prevent war, against all persuasion to re-
main in Engan he came home and identified
himself with the revolutionary struggle. He
succeeded John Hancock as President of Con-
gress, an Office he resigned the second term,
when he was made Minister to Holland. On
his way to his mission the vessel was captured
by the British, and he was carrier to the Tower,
on the suspicion of treason. Here he was
placed in close confinement, guarded by two
wardens, who never left him out of sight.
With no pen to write with, with no one to
speak to, he remained fourteen months, suffer-
ing from insufficient food, not being permitted
to use his own money for that purpose broken
down in health, and suffering acutely from gout.
His suferings became known Burke was in
terested in him; various schemes were pro-
posed for his release. One of these was to be
through the concessions of his son John, then
in Paris as representative of Congress, but
Laurens replied: "He loves me dearly, and
would lay down his life to save mine, but am
sure he would not sacrifice his honor to save
mine and I applaud him." When, finally,
he was released, he was appointed one of the
ministers of Congress for negotiating peace.
He met Jay, Franklin and Adams, at Paris,
where the preliminaries of the treaty were
signed. On returning to America he was re-
ceived as national benefactor, but he declined
all public Offices and devoted himself to agri-
culture and the mending of his broken for
tunes He died December Sth, 1872. The
following clause in his will relates to the dis
position of his body:
~ solemnly enjoin it on my son as an indis-
pensable duty, that as soon as he conveniently
can after my decease, to cause my body to be
wrapped in twelve yards of tow cloth and
burned until it be entirely consumed, and then
collecting my bones deposit them wherever he
may think proper"
His biographer Ramsey, who was his SON.
i.l-aw, relates this much and adds that it was
done as desired, but makes no mention of the
causes of the request or the details of the
must have created considerable interest, and
the New York Journal and Patriotic Register,
Saturday, January 26, 1898, on file at the His
torical Society Library, contains this alluson:
"The following extract of letter, dated
Charleston, S. c., December "a, is copied from
the Norwich Weekly Register, of January IA:
"'A few days since departed this life, Henry
Laurens, Esq, about seventy years of age, and
his corpse was burnt the Thursday after his
decease This was done by his son at the re-
quest of his father, who made this reserve in
his will, that unless his son complied with this
he should be cut short in any of his estate,
which was worth 100000 sterling. The ashes
remaining from the body were taken up and
put into silver urn for that purpose. The
reason that Mr.. Laurens gave for this singular
desire was that his body was too good to be
eaten by worms"
A foot-note however, in Chadwick's "Report
on Intramural Interment" states that Henry
Laurens having an infant child to die of small
pox when the body was laid out caused the
window to be opened to admit fresh current
of air. The air blowing over the body restored
the child to life, and in this manner it barely
escaped being buried alive. So horror stricken
was Mr. Laurens at this event that he left Or
ders in his will for his body to be burned, and
the inheritance of his estate by his son was
made conditional on his carrying out the re-
quest. 1t is impossible to find the details of
the burning so far, but gentleman remembers
to have read them years ago in an English
book. The funeral pile was erected on
beautiful spot on his plantation. The body,
wrapped as desired in the will, was borne on
the shoulders of four favorite slaves and laid
upon the pyre, when incense and perfumes
were thrown upon it. After the funeral servi-
ces were held beside it, the flames were kindled,
and when the pile was burned, the ashes were
collected and placed in silver vase.
THE SOUTH AND WEsT-Ever since the
Republican party came into power, it has been
almost absolutely controlled. and through it the
Government also, by New England; the tariff,
the public debt, the national banking system,
the internal revenue system and the reconstruc-
ton of the South, have all been in measure,