tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463539586331841894.post8700951460979829967..comments2024-01-03T11:21:06.808-06:00Comments on Shantybellum: Childhood memory resurfaces...in a cast-iron coffinShantybellumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10717453211744476149noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463539586331841894.post-80097156020222342162022-09-24T12:47:36.826-05:002022-09-24T12:47:36.826-05:00It isn’t Mira. Does anyone have a picture of the n...It isn’t Mira. Does anyone have a picture of the name plate on the casketAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463539586331841894.post-76921606052565892192015-08-18T22:09:20.380-05:002015-08-18T22:09:20.380-05:00Great story, being a huge history buff, I am alway...Great story, being a huge history buff, I am always intrigued by firsthand accounts. However, I'm not exactly sure when the advent of metallic coffins came to be used, but I do know that the Fisk cases were not patented until at least 1848. Is it possible that the date may have read 1864? Sometimes the script used in 19th century and prior tend to be more of a flowing nature versus an accurate depiction of the letters themselves. Here in Milledgeville, GA a Fisk casket was discovered during the restoration of an old family crypt, and even more intriguing, the striped dress of the occupant could still be discerned through the viewing window located at the head of the casket. Creepy, awesome and always entertaining, history will always hold a place in heart.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463539586331841894.post-91980108340618009842014-06-06T11:03:34.644-05:002014-06-06T11:03:34.644-05:00My father worked for Ouachita Parish Sheriff's...My father worked for Ouachita Parish Sheriff's department when this was found and he too got to go and see the lady. I wish I had been born when this took place. So Fascinating. Thank u for sharing this story!! Glad I found it and could bridge the gap of information that I was told as a child...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06051532320278178085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463539586331841894.post-53034197516747933472013-11-13T22:59:32.889-06:002013-11-13T22:59:32.889-06:00Thank you for this story!! When I was little, my ...Thank you for this story!! When I was little, my parents told me this story. They grew up in Haile, near Sterlington, so they had heard the account second hand and I don't think that they really believed it. My mother passed away some years ago but my dad was delighted to hear that the story was true. I shared this link on my blog. I usually write about Union Parish history but I do love Monroe area!! Thanks again!Erin Antleynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463539586331841894.post-17059069164515556152013-09-01T07:10:18.963-05:002013-09-01T07:10:18.963-05:00Update. Adding obituary for Col. Morrison's si...Update. Adding obituary for Col. Morrison's sister, who I believe this to be. <br />I believe this is Colonel Charles Henry Morrison's sister. He was a plantation owner. He led 'Morrison's company', also known as Company K of the 31st Louisiana Infantry, CSA. After the war, he was active in politics, and, for a time was Speaker of the Louisiana House. A timeline:<br /><br />1841 Mary Morrison married Joseph F. Wade. No further information about J.F. Wade.<br />1850 Census she appears as Mary St. Claire Wade (gives age as 26)<br />1860 Census she appears as Mary St. C Wade (gives age as 35)<br />1870 Census she appears as Mary Wade (gives age as 44)<br /><br />She died Dec. 9, 1874. <br /><br />The Ouachita Telegraph<br />Friday, December 18, 1874<br />Page 3, Column 1<br /><br />Mrs. Mary Wade died on the 9th inst., at the residence of her brother Col. C.H. Morrison. Mrs. Wade had endeared herself to a large circle of friends, by whom her many virtues will be held in lasting remembrance.<br /><br />1876 Oct 18 Col. Charles Henry Morrison dies at 56 of pneumonia.<br /><br />The birth date reported to have been incribed on the coffin does not seen to match the census.<br /><br />Here is an actual newspaper account. Biloxi Daily Herald, Friday, Feb 04, 1955<br />Find Woman's Body Buried 140 Years - Monroe, LA (AP) - Workmen digging a water line unearthed the preserved body of a 30-year-old woman believed buried more than 140 years ago. The inscription on the glass covered coffin was dated Sept. 7, 1814, and identified the woman as Mrs. St. Clair Wade.<br />Clothed in a black silk dress and clutching a lace handkerchief in her hand, the body was surrounded by magnolia blossoms and cypress leaves in the cast iron coffin.<br />The casket was taken yesterday to a Monroe funeral home. Workmen discovered the casket, encased in a lime and sand vault, about a foot below the earth.<br /><br />Iron coffins were in use 1848-1888 by the well-to-do.<br /><br />civilwar@dancrone.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463539586331841894.post-21873913869073751042013-08-29T12:40:28.243-05:002013-08-29T12:40:28.243-05:00There is a famous civil war grave robbing incident...There is a famous civil war grave robbing incident that took place in the 1960's. The body was thought to have been preserved with arsenic, and was temporarily mistaken as a homicide victim before realizing it was the interred. So, it may have been in this case. Iron caskets were not uncommon for the wealthy. Here's an incident from earlier this year when an iron coffin was exhumed by grave robbers. http://www.thetruecitizen.com/news/2013-04-10/Front_Page/Grave_robbers_hit_cemetery_at_Old_Church.htmlcivilwar@dancrone.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463539586331841894.post-19970817411953115402013-08-29T12:33:31.201-05:002013-08-29T12:33:31.201-05:00I love the story. And I loved the photographs that...I love the story. And I loved the photographs that assisted with setting the mood. I loved the story so much, I went snooping on ancestry.com. I googled it. I read the theories and I remain unconvinced of the latest theory. All accounts have the date Sept 7, 1814. Latest theories say its a birth date, not a death date. Some accounts mention only 'St.Clair' not 'St. Clair Wade'. To fit Mary St.C Wade, 35 in 1860 you have to suppress data that conflicts with this theory. Maybe she was the wife of C.H. Morrison, listed as the head of household. However, in the 1870 census, Mary Wade is still alive at the age of 44. Also, consistent across both censuses is that her birth year was in 1825 or 1826. This is 10 year mistake. So, if Mary St. Clair Wade Morrison was in the coffin she died after 1870 and would have been at least 56 if you accept the 1814 theory. It just doesn't fit. I have screenshots of my research if you would like them. civilwar@dancrone.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463539586331841894.post-26401523278700713752012-12-13T05:44:40.283-06:002012-12-13T05:44:40.283-06:00The coffin made of cast iron is something differen...The coffin made of cast iron is something different,I never saw this type of thing before..I had read the story you shared,it is quite interesting..cast iron floor platehttp://www.jashmetrology.com/cast_iron_tslotted_floor.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463539586331841894.post-20439180198027090882012-06-25T22:08:14.465-05:002012-06-25T22:08:14.465-05:00How wonderful and how strange so many people are l...How wonderful and how strange so many people are looking into this now. I am from Lakeshore, I remember My father telling me this story as a child. I believe the residents then were the Matthews on Lakeshore Drive. I could be wrong about the family that lived there at the time. My Father also had 3 houses in the Lakeshore subdivison over a 50 yr period. For some reason this morning I woke up obsessed by trying to remember this story. I am currently living in Alaska. Thank you for the information..Mary O'Donnellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463539586331841894.post-54907097506940101492012-06-07T17:30:02.525-05:002012-06-07T17:30:02.525-05:00Thank you for visiting the blog and for your comme...Thank you for visiting the blog and for your comment, Tom. Ann tells me she's remembered more about this story. If and when she adds to it, I hope you'll be able to find us again. <br /><br />You might want to click "follow" on the blog. Otherwise, if you'd like to send me your email address, you can reach me at epritchartt@yahoo.com.Shantybellumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10717453211744476149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463539586331841894.post-3639842002930507642012-06-07T14:28:16.981-05:002012-06-07T14:28:16.981-05:00I too wrote of this story a few years back in conn...I too wrote of this story a few years back in connection with the finding of a Fisk coffin in another state. I went to Mulhearn funeral home a long with many others to see her. Glad to know more about the incident I'll never forget.<br />Tom Boyte<br />El Mirage,AZ. formerly of MonroeTom Boytehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15177921942304540771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463539586331841894.post-6332856620879310722012-04-04T12:25:57.260-05:002012-04-04T12:25:57.260-05:00Dear Lora and Elodie,
Neither of you truly has an...Dear Lora and Elodie,<br /><br />Neither of you truly has any idea how much I admire and appreciate your interest in and knowledge of our regional history. I feel honored both to have been invited by Elodie to compose a story for Shantybellum and also to Lora for sharing her dedication to finding and recording facts that so few ever knew as new generations come along who may never know enough about these special stories to ask questions.<br /><br />Thank you both.<br /><br />AnnAnn Duponthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02210149219672177818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463539586331841894.post-12356639313574262482012-04-04T11:43:41.494-05:002012-04-04T11:43:41.494-05:00Lora,
Thank you for commenting. In case, Ms. Dup...Lora,<br /><br />Thank you for commenting. In case, Ms. Dupont did not get your email, I'll forward this to her. Also, if you'd like to email me, I can be reached at epritchartt@yahoo.com.Shantybellumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10717453211744476149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463539586331841894.post-49035631285764087422012-04-04T10:59:17.781-05:002012-04-04T10:59:17.781-05:00Ms. Dupont,
I e-mailed you a few days before with...Ms. Dupont,<br /><br />I e-mailed you a few days before with what I knew about the coffin (a facebook friend linked this blog on his page). I just remembered that several years ago, I wrote an article for the News-Star about several iron coffins found in Northeast Louisiana. Here is the paragraph I wrote about Monroe's Iron Coffin:<br /><br />"Researchers at the time noticed a deteriorated nameplate attached to the coffin. They could see the name St. Clair Wade" and an age of either 30 or 39. There was also a date of September 7, 1814 inscribed. After a little research, it was determined that the woman was Mira St. John Tennille Hall. Mira was the eldest daughter of one of Ouachita's Revolutionary War soldiers, Benjamin Tennille. It was thought that the flowing script on the plaque could be mistaken for an H, W or M. The Tennilles were rich and could afford the iron coffin. St. Clair was also a common name in the Tennille family. For many years this identification stood. Within the last couple of decades, a new identification has been put forward by Historians. <br /> Mary Catherine St. Clair Morrison was born September 7, 1814. She was the daughter of John McCagg and Sarah Ginn Morrison. She was married to Joseph F. Wade but had no children. When she died, she was buried in the Morrison family cemetery on the grounds of Magenta Plantation. Over time the gravestones deteriorated and crumbled away. Homes and businesses were built on top of the cemetery. The plantation home known as Magenta disappeared as well. There Mary slept in peace till her rest was disturbed in 1955. Misidentified for forty years, she now can be identified properly."Lora Peppersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1463539586331841894.post-25016492619528771762012-03-25T19:07:06.783-05:002012-03-25T19:07:06.783-05:00Thank you for sharing this childhood memory.Thank you for sharing this childhood memory.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com