Thank you so much Charles for you informative 'story'. It was very interesting. I think I'll ask my elders if they've had these similiar experiences. Tonya Aultman-Harris mtharris@ev1.net Researching: Aultman (AR, TX, MS),Cox (TX, OK), Parker (LA, TX), Peyton (MS) ----- Original Message ----- From: Charles A. Wyly <wyly1@juno.com> To: <TXERATH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 1999 9:04 PM Subject: Re: [ERATH] Funeral records or funeral homes > Hi, > When I was a squad leader in Tarleton ROTC, Franklin Conger, a former > fellow student of Stephenville High School died unexpectedly His mom > requested a Military Funeral and our squad were the paulbearers and took > turns sitting up all noght in the Higinbotham ( Now Stephenville) Funeral > home. Euell Jones filled us in on reasons behind our burial customs. I > had learned some helping dig graves in Johnsville, Pony Creek, and Selden > Hatchett Cemetey. Don't think you wont to hear some- but Irish wakes were > held until the > Rigor Mortis set in "and the soul shook free of the body". Dad said it > was not unheard of for a corpse to jerk or start to sit up. This > procedure took 3 days and 3 nights, and was part of the reasomn some > Baptists believed in other than the Catholic version of the Cruxifiction- > The body of Christ was in the grave 3 days and three nights to remove all > question of a Catatonic trance or drugs such as Romeo took in the classic > play- Romeo and Juliet. > > Most bodies were kept in the home front room in the 1930's even if they > were embalmed in town and the body of a believer was usually carried to > his church for the funeral. All present took part in the singing and > friends dug his grave. Sometimes in Selden and Indian Creek they had to > blast rock out to complete the grave in time, before Diesel backhoes. I > have heard reports such as when the cemetery between Meridian and the > Brazos was moved through Kopperell when Lake Whitney flooded it. Some had > come back to life when they did not have the breath to ripple a candle > flame and felt cold? The Texas Frontier sitting up with the deceased, > accor=ding to Ewell Jones, was to keep cats and varmits away from the > corpse. > My dad sat up with his Great Grandad Hatchett or his Uncle Gus, who > married a Shaw, and at about 2 AM, a cat came through the screen, whick > woke them up completely- but had better close- ask your older relatives > or an elberly Funeral director about such if you are still curious. > > Take care, > Charles Wyly > > > ==== TXERATH Mailing List ==== > --- Author Retains Copyright --- > -- Copyright 1999 Author -- All Rights Reserved > Post to List: TXERATH-L@rootsweb.com http://www.selfroots.com > Unsubscribe request To: TXERATH-L-request@rootsweb.com > >