Stoneman Who Died 128 Years Ago, Set For Burial | PHOTOS + DETAILS
Faith Ukanwa
Oct 05, 2023
Stoneman Who Died 128 Years Ago, Set For Burial | PHOTOS + DETAILS
A mummified man known as Stoneman Willie will receive a proper burial after being on display at a funeral home in Reading city, Pennsylvania, for 128 years.
The unidentified man was an alcoholic who died of kidney failure in a local jail on Nov. 19, 1895. He was accidentally mummified by a mortician experimenting with new embalming techniques, according to Auman's Funeral Home.
READ ALSO: I Will Not Allow Criminality As President, Peter Obi Declares
Dressed in a suit with a bow tie, the gaunt man is displayed in a coffin with a red sash across his chest. His hair and teeth remain intact, and his skin has taken on a leathery appearance.
READ ALSO: Sowore's Miscalculation and the Need to beat a Wise Retreat
Because the man gave a fake name when arrested for picking pockets, Stoneman Willie's identity was unknown for many years and local officials were unable to locate relatives.
READ ALSO: HOT NEWS: BUHARI WARNS OSINBAJO, SEE REASON
The funeral home had petitioned the state for permission to keep the body instead of burying it to monitor the experimental embalming process.
READ ALSO: INEC Reveals What It Will Do If A BVAS Is Snatched On Election Day | READ IN FULL
But Auman's Funeral Home says it has now identified Stoneman Willie using historical documents and will reveal his name later this week when they lay the body to rest. Until now, not much was known about him beyond his Irish roots.
READ ALSO: Senator Abaribe Vs Catholic Church: Court grants 2 bail in land dispute
"We don't refer to him as a mummy. We refer to him as our friend Willie," said Kyle Blankenbiller, funeral director. "He has just been become such an icon, such a storied part of not only Reading's past but certainly its present."
READ ALSO: FA Cup semi-final draw: Manchester City to face Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa meet Crystal Palace
Ahead of the funeral, the city of Reading will memorialize the man who has been part of the city's folklore for generations.
READ ALSO: TRAGEDY: RCCG General Overseer Losses His First Miracle Child | SEE DETAILS
On Sunday, local residents filed onto the streets to celebrate Reading's 275th anniversary with a colorful parade that included a motorcycle hearse carrying Willie's casket.
READ ALSO: Why I flog my Wife Regularly - Nigerian Man give reasons
source
Related Stories
REVEALED: How All Progressives Congress (APC) Played Into The Opposition Hands Ahead Of 2027 - Sumner Sambo Warns
I Will Not Allow Criminality As President, Peter Obi Declares
Why El-Rufai Was Returned To ICPC Custody?
Sowore's Miscalculation and the Need to beat a Wise Retreat
Tinubu Breaks Silence on Hardship, Inflation, Power Crisis - Vows Nigeria Will Overcome Economic Storm
"Terrorists Have Outgunned Our TroopsÔÇØ - Ndume Raises Alarm Over Boko Haram War, Sends Urgent Message To Tinubu
""
— Faith Ukanwa