The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-07-24
ANTHONY WAYNE's TWO GRAVES.
How it Happens that the Old Hero's
Remains Lie in Two Widely
Separated Graves.

There are few persons outside OF this inn
mediate vicinity, writes an Erie, Pa, corre-
spondent Of the New York Sun, who know
that the remains OF Gen. Anthony Wayne,
the hero OF Stony Point and the northwestern
Indian wars, are inferred in two graves-one
being in his native county Of Chester, in the
southwestern corner of this State, and one on
the shore Of Lake Erie, in the northwestern
corner. History makes no mention OF this
singular fact but it is well authenticated.
The circumstances connected with it will
be OF peculiar interest now, as the CEN
tennial anniversary Of the storming and cap
ture OF Stony Point, one OF the most impor-
tant events Of the revolution, Is to be cele-
brated on Wednesday next at the scene OF
s'Mad Anthonys" great exploit.
In 1896 what Is now the city OF Erie was
Fort Presque Isle. The fort was nothing more
than a wooden stockade. Gen. Wayne, after
his successful campaign against the Indians,
returned to Presque Isle In the above year.
He soon afterward died In the fort Of gout.
He was buried at the foot Of the flagstaff.
In 1915 his family obtained permission TO re-
move the remains to Chester county. A son
of Gen. Waynes made the journey clear
across the State, much OF it then a dense
wilderness, with q horse and gig. He had
informed DR.. John G. Wallace. of Presque
Isle, of his intention to remove the remains,
and requested him to d1sinter them and pre-
pare them for removal. DE-. Wallace was an
old Indian fighter, and had accompanied Gen.
Wayne through all the latter's campaigns.
He exhumed the remains. He was surprised
to find that the body had not decayed, but
that the flesh had become as hard as bone and
of great weight. Knowing that it would be
impossible for the son to carry the body
to Chester county in that condition, DR.. Wal
lace determined to remove the flesh from the
bones This was done by boiling and the
use of knives. The bones OF Gen. Wayne
were then carefully packed In convenient
form, and were delivered to his son on his ar
rival Ha was not informed of the ODnra-
tion that had been performed. He returned
with the box to Chester county, where it's
contents were buried with appropriate cere-
monies. A fine monument, commemorative
OF the dead hero and his deeds, was subse-
quently erected at the grave. The portion
were placed in a coffin and returned to the
grave where Gen. Wayne was buried In 1895.
The lid Of the coffin bore the initials OF the
deceased, his age, and date OF his death, made
by brass-headed nails. Fort Presque Isle
gradually went to decay; in the course OF a
or that Of the grave. The parties concerned
in preparing the remains for removal died,
and everything connected with the burial was
forgotten Four years ago an antiquarian
was digging for relics around the ground
where the old fort stood. Two feet below the
he removed. On one Of the remnants was
found the initials "a. W." in brass-headed
nails. Other pieces contained lettering and
figures in brass-headed nails. These decayed
pieces Of wood proved to be the remains OF
the coffin in which the detached remains OF
Gen. Wayne had been buried. They were
returned to the earth, a mound made, and the
spot enclosed by heavy iron chain hung On
four posts. Last winter the citizens OF this
city petitioned the Legislature for an appro-
priatiOn to pay for the raising OF a monument
oyer the grave Of Gen. Wayne. inquiry TX