MAY HAVE BEEN BURIED ALIVE

NEEDHAM EDWINI, FREEMAN

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 3/8/2019 at 15:34:16

The North Manchester Journal
May 31, 1900

MAY HAVE BEEN BURIED ALIVE
Rather Shocking Story From The Vicinity of Roann
Regarding a Burial Twenty Years Ago.

Over twenty years ago Mrs. Emma Needham was buried at the old [Roann Community Cemetery] at Roann [Wabash County, Indiana]. Last week her son exhumed the body for removal to the Odd Fellow's cemetery near town. Upon opening the coffin it was found that one hand was under her head and the other lying by her side, indicating that she had come to life after her burial and moved her hands. - Peru Republican.

Attorney J. W. Arthur, of this city, remembers the death of this woman well. At the time he was living on the adjoining farm to the Needhams and was one of the first persons called in on the death of Mrs. Needham. Mr. Arthur says that as he remembers the case her death was without warning and that she fell over on the bed. Also that there were doubts in the minds of some people at the time about the woman being dead.

It was said that while she was being dressed for the grave she clasped her hand. A doctor was sent for who examined the body and pronounced the woman dead and the funeral was proceeded with. Mr. Arthur says he has been informed by reliable parties that when the remains were recently moved to another cemetery it was discovered that the limbs were misplaced and not in the position in which corpses ae always placed in the coffin. This is a very startling state of affairs but it appears that burial did not take place until a doctor had said that life was extinct.

NOTE: Emma Edwini was born February 4, 1863, Miami County, Indiana, the daughter of Isaac Edward and Leticia (Huddleston) Jones. She was married on August 11, 1878, Wabash County, Indiana, to Emsley Henderson Needham. Emma died September 16, 1879, aged 16 years, 7 months and 2 days. It is believed that Emma died from complications of childbirth, her son George E. Needham being born in September of 1879. George, who died in 1957, Paw Paw, Indiana, would have been the son who made arrangements for Emma's reinterment since he was her only child.

Emsley remarried Julia Frances Freeman and they eventually moved to Decatur County, Iowa. Both Emsley (1855-1922) and Julia (1858-1939) were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Lamoni, Iowa.

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2015