Woodlawn Cemetery, draped in solemn silence and ancient lore, holds many stories within its winding paths, but none more perplexing than the tale of the stone coffin—an eerie sarcophagus that refuses to be forgotten. Standing above ground near the heart of the cemetery, the crypt’s mere presence defies tradition, leaving visitors with a lingering sense of mystery.
According to a 1950 article by Frank Weller in the Southern Illinoisan, a nearby headstone bears a fading inscription: “JW Landrum, Died July 4, 187.., Aged 47 years.” But this simple epitaph only deepens the uncertainty, for conflicting accounts tell two vastly different tales of its occupant.
One version whispers of a young Southern woman, the wife of JW Landrum, who was laid to rest inside the sarcophagus. A native of Vicksburg, Mississippi, she harbored a steadfast wish—to never be buried beneath Union soil. Honoring her dying wish, her grieving husband, a Carbondale native, sprinkled soil from her beloved Vicksburg inside the coffin before sealing it shut. Did her restless soul find solace in this final act of devotion, or does she still wander the cemetery, longing for the land of her birth?
Yet another account tells of Lt. Colonel John Mills, a Union soldier, whose remains were initially placed here. However, upon learning that a Confederate soldier was destined for burial at Woodlawn, his family made a fateful decision: they would not let him share the sacred ground with his former enemy. And so, his body was hastily removed, ensuring that opposing forces would not lie together—even in death.
A crypt that harbors mystery. A coffin unclaimed by certainty. Who truly rests within the stone sarcophagus of Woodlawn Cemetery? Some say its occupant still lingers, unsettled by the whispers of history, waiting for the truth to finally be unearthed.
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