The Tombstone Mystery

Tales from North Praire, Wisconsin

By Don Kabitzke

For over 115 years a very special grave in North Praire has puzzled thousands who have visited it. Who was this man buried there? What caused his death? Who determined that he could be buried on railroad property? To many, it was surrounded in mystery. Located at the east siding switch to the Milwaukee Road's house track, about 15 feet south of it, the gravesite, south of the old Morey Condensery plant, covered with lilac bushes, but the 10 feet tall marble shaft is visible from all directions. There is a well worn path through the bushes which shows that many visit that site each year to see it for themselves. Engraved upon the marker is a railway coach and an inscription stating that one George E. Price, an employee of the then Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad is buried there. It further states that he was involved in an accident at Milton Junction, Wisconsin, on the 7th of March, 1859 and died on the 23rd of March of the injuries he sustained from that accident.

About 1955, the Milwaukee Journal Green Sheet contained an article and photograph about the mysterious gravesite. Many people around the country wrote letters asking for answers. One reader took up the challenge and set out to find the facts. William F. Starke of Nashotah, Wis., who visited six different cities in search of clues, finally found the answer in some old microfilmed newspaper articles at the Milwaukee Public Library.

This is the story!
George Price was a conductor for the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad operating out of Janesville, Wis. His territory was from Janesville to Madison and east to Milwaukee. On the evening of the accident, March 7, 1859, Price was riding on the rear end of a passenger coach which was being shoved from Janesville to Milton Junction to be placed on the head end of a Milwaukee bound train. In turn, they would take another coach back to Janesville with passengers for that city. It was almost dusk by the time the train rounded the curve at Milton, and in the restricted vision it was hard to see far ahead. Price and the engineer both had difficulty seeing well. Suddenly, Price was shocked to see a car of lumber standing on the bend, which the engineer did not, and he tried setting a hand brake to slow down and stop the train. He was unable to do so. The train slammed into the car of lumber with an explosion.

Price was hurled into the car of lumber, fracturing his skull. The 25 passengers aboard the coach were knocked to the floor as the seats were torn off thier mountings. Luckily for the passengers, no one was injured. The locomotive was quickly cut off the train and raced to Janesville to seek medical help. Price was taken to a hotel operated by William Morgan of Milton. A doctor Palmer of Janesville was rushed back to Milton to operate on him. The following day, Dr. E. B. Wolcott, a company physician (who was to gain fame during the civil war, and a statue of him erected in Lake Park in Milwaukee) was sent to Milton to see what more could be done for Price. Dr. Wolcott felt that Price would survive, but it wasn't to be.

Price died on the 23rd of March with his daughter, Harriett Louisa at his side. Price's wife was in a hospital in Brattleboro, Vermont where she had been sent for a rest two years before. On the day of the accident, Price had received a letter from her telling how she was completly cured and wanted him to come and pick her up as soon as possible.

Elaborate funeral arrangements were made and services were held in Janesville on Friday, March 25. A special five car train, one of three so drapped in his honor, was sent from Milwaukee. No fares were charged to those who boarded it. John Catlin, president of the Milwaukee & Mississsppi Railway; Willikam Jervis, superintendent; E.H. Williams, assistant superintendent; William Tarntor, secretary; A.G. Miller, auditor; John C. Broadhead, paymaster; S.S. Merrill, superintendent; who represented the railroad as well as friends and fellow employees of Price were in attendence.

Pallbearers were his friends and co-workers: D.A. Olin, L.B. Rock, E.C. Brown, George redington, E.J. Sweet, George Church, George Sandborn and William B. Strong.

Price was well liked and his loss was deeply mourned, as can be attested to by the many who attended his funeral. His body was put aboard the train on its return trip and taken to North Prairie where it was placed in the grave, on company property. Why was he buried there? It was a simple fulfillment of a request made some years before. While riding through the village one day, he expressed his love of the countryside and especially that location in the village. He would like to be buried there. His wish was fulfilled.