Mummified Man Finally Getting a Proper Burial After 128 Years on Display
In a unique turn of events, Stoneman Willie, a man who passed away in 1895 and unintentionally became a mummy, will soon receive a proper burial. This captivating story unfolds in Pennsylvania, where Stoneman Willie’s journey from pickpocket to mummy has finally found closure.
Stoneman Willie’s journey to mummification began when he met his end in a local jail due to kidney failure. His arrest, originally for pickpocketing, led to an unusual sequence of events that have left him on display for 128 years.
Auman’s Funeral Home in Reading, Pennsylvania, played a pivotal role in preserving Stoneman Willie’s body. An undertaker there had been experimenting with new embalming techniques and, unintentionally, transformed him into a mummy.
Today, Stoneman Willie is dressed in a suit with a bow tie and rests in a coffin adorned with a striking red sash across his chest. His hair and teeth have remained remarkably intact, while his skin has taken on a leathery appearance over the years.
For many years, the man’s true identity remained a mystery as he had provided a fake name at the time of his arrest. Local authorities struggled to locate any of his relatives. However, through diligent research with historical documents, Stoneman Willie’s real name has finally been uncovered. His identity will be engraved at the base of his tombstone when he is laid to rest on October 7.
“We don’t refer to him as a mummy. We refer to him as our friend Willie,” shared Kyle Blankenbiller, the funeral director at Auman’s Funeral Home. “He has just been such an icon, such a storied part of not only Reading’s past but certainly its present.”
The funeral home had previously sought permission from the state to retain Stoneman Willie’s body to monitor the effects of their experimental embalming technique. As the burial date approaches, local residents have gathered to mark Reading’s 275th anniversary with a parade, and Stoneman Willie’s coffin has been carried on a motorcycle hearse as part of this memorable event.
In a remarkable twist of fate, Stoneman Willie’s long journey from a pickpocket to a mummy to an icon in Reading’s history is coming full circle with a proper burial, providing closure to this intriguing chapter in Pennsylvania’s past.