Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-05-13
For the Herald and Tribune.
FROM MIDDLE TENNESSEE.

GABBATHA, TENN, May Z, 1896 Per
haps one of the most remarkable cases
of p%etrifaction has been discovered in
Jackson County, about five miles from
here, ever recorded in the history of
Tennessee. The discovery was made
last week, and men, women and child.
rem are frantic to obtain particulars of
the case. Your correspondent has
spared no pains to get the facts. hav
ing made a long trip in order to inter
rogate reliable men who were eye wit.
nesses to what we shall relate.
The curiosity of the matter is, it is a
human being, a man, who is a solid
rock, and is al white and heavy as
marble. Fourteen years ago w. NJ.
Davidson, a man of some prominence,
who had held elective and appointive
offices in Jackson County. died and
was buried at the head of Films Creek.
AT his death he left u widow and sew.
eral children. His widow after his
death preferred to change her residence
to Bloomington, Putnam County where
she has since resided with her son, DR..
W. @. Davidson. The old lady died
last week, and arrangements were
made to bury her by the side of her
husband. Parties were empowered to
perform the work, and as soon as the
earth had been removed down to the
remains Of her husband it was found
that a clear, cold stream of water
about one inch in diameter was run
ming through the grave and around
and across the remains. This forebore
the prearranged burial, and caused the
relatives of the widow to change he-
interment to Bloomington, and to
move the remains of her husband to
that point as its last resting place. The
work to take up the remains was be.
gun at once so as to bury them together
and at the same time, but when the
coffin was reached the top and sides of
1t were rotten and the bottom in a per.
feet state of preservation. Efforts to
raise the remains by the usual labor re
CURED on such occasions proved inef
f%ective, and on examination it was dis
covered that decomposition which in
the course of nature follows such
events had not accomplished it's work
in this instance. Instead of a few
pounds of remains as might be expect
ed, your readers can better imagine
the amaZement of those who had
charge of the affair at finding o solid
rock with the profile Of the original
man, weighing 500 pounds, better than
We can describe it to them. The out
lines of the man in his petrifed state
were sufficient to identify him as w.
M. Davidson. who died suddenly four
teen years ago, and who weighed at
his death about 200 pounds. Men left
the grave to tell their neighbors of the
wonderful curiosity they had seen, and
by the time the petrified man had been
raised out of the ground hundreds of
men, women and children had gather.
ed about the place to witness the scene.
The petrifaction was so perfect that
even the hair on his head and breast
looked apparently as in life. DR.. Fowl
err, of Gainsboro, representing the med
ical fraternity offered all the induce.
ment he could to get possession of the
petrified man, but his propositions
were considered as insults by his rela.
tives, and the petrified man was placed
by the side of his wife in the cemetery
near Bloomington where there is now a
good force of armed men guarding his
grave to prevent the stealing of the
, rockey man.
, LATER-May 9.-News has just reach.
, ed Gabbatha that the family of the
=. Davidsons will take up their petrifieG
father, and place him on exhibition OF
keep him in some secure place. 1t il
the chief topic of conversation and ex
= element is very high.
g The friends of Mr.. Brownlow in this
i, part of the State are still rejoicing owe
his success in securing the nomination
:. in the primary election by such a heav!
a plurality. We feel that Tennessee will
have at least one able member in tn
y next Congress. He knows the rope
and will pull them for his true an,
tried trends. Our opinion is that h
will be elected by from 10000 to 1900
majority. With Mckinley as Presi
dent and Mr.. Brownlow in Congress
y prosperity will resume its place in GU
nation. X.