In the city of Natchez, in Adams County, Mississippi, is home to some unusual headstones like the grave of Florence Irene Ford which has one of the most moving stories.
Florence passed away of yellow fever at the age of ten (1861-1871). During her life, she was terrified whenever there were electrical storms and needed comfort from her mother in each storm.
So when she passed away, her mother, devastated by the loss, had a special coffin built for Florence that had a glass window so her body could be seen.
In addition, the girl’s grave has a series of concrete steps that lead down to her coffin, with a glass window under the ground. Every time there is a thunderstorm, Florence’s mother would go to the cemetery, walk down the steps, and sit there, comforting her daughter’s soul.
For years, the grave hasn’t changed much. It has the same epitaph on the grave: “A daughter so bright and affectionate as God blessed her with his image.” After Florence’s mother passed away, the glass that covered the little girl’s coffin was covered with cement to prevent vandalism in the 1950s.
However, to this day, visitors can still descend the steps to Florence’s tomb.
Beyond Florence Ford’s grave, the Natchez Cemetery has several curiosities: one of the tombstones is called the “Rotating Angel”, which is a statue of an angel carved in such a way as to form an optical illusion. When approaching the statue from the correct angle, the angel appears to turn towards the visitor.
There is also a large three-tiered tombstone which has a rocking chair inside, as that was the wish of Rufus E. Case, whose remains are there next to the chair that accompanied his last years.
What do you think of this touching story?