Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 95, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1917 — CONSTRUCTED HIS OWN COFFIN [ARTICLE]

CONSTRUCTED HIS OWN COFFIN

The body of William Watkins of Kentland, who died on Wednesday afternoon at St. Elizabeth’s hospital, will be forwarded to Delphi this morning for burial. He will* be buried in a coffin made by himself. Mr. Watkins had been running a saw mill at Kentland for some time and four months ago when his health became impaired he constructed the coffin. It is made from black walnut and weighs nearly 700 pounds. It arrived here yesterday. Mr. Watkins was born in White county fifty years ago, and was well, known throughout White, Carroll. Tippecanoe and Newton counties. He is survived by a widow and four children.—Yesterday’s Lafayette Journal.