Hiram Smith, son of Joab and Elisabeth, was born September 2, 1795. He never married. He was a farmer who spent his whole life in the town of Chester. When he was about five years old, his mother took him to a funeral. It had rained and the grave was filled with water. Buckets were used to bail out the water, leaving a muddy hole which the casket was sunk into. It left a definite mark on Hiram and as he matured it continued to bother him.

“One day as Dr. Thaddeus DeWolfe was making his rounds, he saw Hiram beside the road and invited him to ride with him. As they traveled over the country roads the old Doctor realized something was bothering Uncle Hiram (as most folks called him) and, with a little encouragement Hiram unloaded his problem to his friend, ending with “No, doctor, I don’t want to be buried in the earth and I don’t mean to be and, what’s more, I won’t be” courtesy Grace Oppenheimer

That summer skilled workmen, from the neighboring city opened up the dark interior of the boulder. Residents in the neighborhood as well as outsiders from the city came to watch the progress, bringing basket lunches and enjoying a day’s outing It took two years to complete the 7 ft. 2 in. long and 4 ft. 5 in. tall opening. The sister died the following year but was not buried until her brother’s death. For four years the granite boulder stood empty.

According to further information we have received, there are only two such known tombs in the United States.

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