PENNSYLVANIA: America’s oldest mummy, affectionately known as ‘Stoneman Willie,’ is at last set to receive a dignified burial after an astonishing 128 years on display within a Pennsylvania funeral home.
For over a century, Stoneman Willie’s true identity had remained a perplexing mystery, as he had provided a false name when arrested for pickpocketing well over a century ago.
Stoneman Willie, originally of Irish descent, met his demise due to kidney failure while incarcerated in a local jail on November 19, 1895. His mummification, however, was purely accidental, the result of Theodor Auman’s experimental embalming techniques. Auman, a mortician, had been pioneering innovative arterial embalming methods, involving the injection of embalming fluid into an artery to displace blood and enable the removal of blood from the veins. Auman’s unique embalming fluid recipe, featuring an excessive amount of formalin, ultimately petrified Stoneman Willie’s body.
Over the years, Stoneman Willie’s mummified form became a local icon, with his hair and teeth miraculously preserved, and his skin acquiring a leathery texture. The Auman’s Funeral Home, responsible for preserving Stoneman Willie, utilized historical documents to uncover his real name. This long-held secret will be unveiled when Stoneman Willie is finally laid to rest on October 7.
Local historian George M. Meiser XI shed light on the historical context, explaining that prior to the advent of arterial embalming, corpses were preserved using ice until the time of burial. Stoneman Willie unwittingly became a participant in Auman’s pioneering experiments with the new embalming technique.
Despite being on public display for well over a century, Stoneman Willie has evolved into an integral part of Reading’s history and culture. Fondly referred to as “our friend Willie” by Kyle Blankenbiller, a funeral director, he remains a symbol of the community’s enduring heritage.
Historical records indicate that Stoneman Willie had adopted the alias ‘James Penn’ when apprehended for theft. He was discovered within a local boardinghouse in possession of stolen items, including a gold watch, a razor, and a sum of money.
As Stoneman Willie finds his final resting place at Forest Hills Memorial Park, his true name will be etched at the base of his tombstone. This burial ceremony marks the culmination of a long journey for the mummy, affording him the honorable and proper burial he rightly deserves after more than a century of being on public display.
