The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-22
oREMArIoN ~ SOUTH cARo1IyA.
The Remains Of Henry Berry Burned by Ills
Own Directions.

From, me chlrie,toH Ns,os and {. urisr
MARION. 5. C., July IA strange and
solemn event has recently occurred in this
county, when carries the nina back TO those
ancient days when the remains OF the dead were
disposed OF 10y cineraiion. The subject Of this
remarkable funeral ceremony was Mr.. Henry
Berry an aged aud highly respectable citizen
OF this county wnose rare tact, industry. aud
economy, honestly exercised, enabled him to
amass very lirzo property. Many years ago,
IN attempting to remove the remains OF a DE.
loved relative from the spot where they had lain
for some time, he encountered a sight which
created IN bis mind an uncOnquerable aversion
to being buried, and to such al extent ,lid INA
prejudice possess nm IN after life that ne en-
joined II upon MS heirs, on pain of disinherting
theui' 10 see that MS BODY was burned after
death. He was careful 70 designate the spot
where the ceremony should take place, and the
iightwOod trees that should be used as fuel on
The old gentleman, after lingering for many
months, died on sunday, the 9Th inst, and on
the iohowlng tuesday his strange desire Ie-
speotlps me disposition q his remains was
Carried out L. the letter. The iunetal service Of
the church Of which ne had once been meul-
per was real, aAo an hp.roprla e discourse de-
hyered by the pastJ! on tue Mond ~ evening
Prev Us. lns mex, morning his remains, en-
ea'eu III nothing but a square box. which, by
bis directions. mad been Handsomely lined IN.
side an enc sod outside With bl ok velvet, and
ornamenteu with trimmings, wero borne to the
spot which he himself had selected for the pur.
pose. Here three large lightwuui logs. each
nearly two feet in diameter, cut from The very
same trees lie mad indicated, were placed along
side On the ground, and upon these logs the
box WIS deposited. LiRhtwood pleces OF sufi.
Client length and thickness were then piled upon
the logs ana around tho coffin until the tier WIS
hidden ION view. lie iizhtwood was ia zen piled
IN cross y,rs Intii the uyTe reached height Of
seven ~ eiRht feet. A torch was then applied at
different corners Of the pic. uud in a few min
utes ne Eiug IRE ." embed the burning OF a
large buld'ug tue flames eaping IN nv feet IN
the ar, and sending hundreds of feet cher a
vGsl column of pltca-ulaCk smoke that vas seeu
ioT many Hlllta around, y l. saiu that The IRE
died out without entirely consuming tho re-
mains, ana had t. he TeulenIshed before the
cremation was complete. !, was the Old geutle-
mans express desire that his ashes should dis
abpanr amid the nu;ne and smoke, on be mingled
WIN the SOIL Underneath the pyTe, and 50 no
precautions were taken 10 urcsl rye them. The
burning began at eight O'Clock Ia the morning
aud was finished in SIX hours f. WIS wltnes -,
by howard Of hundred persons. NJ Is rrv re-
sided 10 Berry Gross Roads. a locality that took
Us name from him. 1t is about fourteen miles
Tbi, was the Injunction. Ashes to ashes"
ca osrled out nnd C. conditions that made 1t i'm
eartu, and dust 10 Dust
From another Co,resbordenL
Mr.; Henry Berry, whose remains were given to
the names ~ 9iarlon county "a few DAYS ago was
possessed u considerable means owning about
twtn'' thousand acres Of land, and having IN
ih'' About hiteen years 400 he had occasion
To ke W tue dead nodles OF two children aud.
ne died bis body should be burned instead Of
buried, tie accordingly made ms viii dividing
nls prlpeit out among his children, hut Insert
ing a proNso that his body after death should
DC burned, anu In case It WAS not, the whole OF
MS est.tr 10 ~ to church near by, the one az
member Of his family into piece of wood
near the house and 'iuted out - Mn. the *
act place WheTt lie ur-ired 10 be burned,
anu also the trees wDlch he desired cut down
aud used for theplrposc. Last MONDAY he ed
at the ago ~ eighty years, md his body was ut
IN PLAIN box as be nNd directed aud the size
Of Whlcn he had gNcuI. ans AauleA ia "a cart,
dawn ~ mule to tti. place. lie nAd pr0.
sioea that $JJj be gwen 10 Nm. liurcliiR.A inu-
latto, to whom h. was much att cled, for
experimenting the burning. * lugs ~ 4 en-
pine WnIo nut on the GROUND. ana on these,
IpfUlUg Two tiers, Id u.4
Jd0htwood wa piled about on The logs. ana al
ths bead, foot AnG nIdes If tine box containing
the body. The whole t,eight OF th- iinerni pire
VA ten or welYe feet. Several n.ais members
OF too old mans family were present, and a
nunn"r - h~sfo's, but considering the occa-
ElQu the crowd was small. Torches were an.
pneu s'mhit"ne u,lY ana with good deal OF
800 ,un /. no iNur corners OF tbs p,te, and
whtu our informant left the Gene, the fat wood
wac 1urnlng and blazing aud cracking. The Old
snnh h 1nu ulIe Yea That MS ashes should minRls
togetber. " w o'""h away