This Indiana Man Was Buried Sitting Up At A Table
Back in the day, it was not uncommon for people to have strange rituals when it came to being buried. We all know of the man who put a bell that was attached to a string that led down into his coffin, just in case he woke up and was buried alive.
But there’s also the story of a man who was suffering from a terrible disease, and when he knew it was time to go, he wanted to go in a casual way. Not only did he want to go casual in death, but in burial as well, as this man had a custom casket built for him so that he could sit up and relax as he reached eternal life.
Willard Aldritch lived in Michiwaka, Indiana, and was a horse trader by trade. However, his odd life left many to believe there was much more to him, as someone recently shared on Facebook.
Many thought he was, in fact, a horse thief. Often, Willard would disappear for months, only to reappear with a large herd of horses.
As they continue, they describe how when he found out he was terminal, he wanted to go in a peaceful way:
He suffered from tuberculosis and consumption, so Willard had a local undertaker build him a custom built coffin with a chair, and a glass top. After he died, in 1882, the pall bearers carried him to the cemetery, where he was buried sitting at a table with pictures of women, a saddle, whiskey, and tobacco. The funeral, needless to say, had a carnival atmosphere.
This man was so eccentric that Ripley's Believe It or Not where they highlighted Willard's and his entire story.