Willie Wedge

Willie Keil (born January 12, 1836 in Bethel , Missouri ; † May 19, 1855 ibid), also known as "Pickled Pioneer" , was an American of German descent whose body was coffered in 1855 by a group of settlers from Missouri via the Oregon Trail in the Pacific Northwest USA.

Keil was the son of Wilhelm ("William") Keil (1812–1877), who immigrated from Prussia in 1831 and who led the utopian religious grouping of the Bethelites in Bethel, Missouri. In the spring of 1855, the group decided to move to the Oregon Territory via the Oregon Trail in order to realize their social utopia there. 19-year-old Willie was enthusiastic about this idea and got his father's approval that he could lead the train of covered wagons . However, shortly before leaving, he fell ill with malaria , from which he died on May 19, 1855.

In order to keep his promise, his father had a coffin made, which was lined with lead . He put his son's body inside, filled the coffin with 100- proof “Golden Rule” whiskey and nailed the lid shut. A covered wagon converted into a hearse then led the procession of the Bethelites on their way west. On the way, the group was repeatedly stopped by Indians who wanted to take a look at the corpse lying in the alcohol, including at Fort Kearney ( Kearney County ) of Sioux and west of Fort Laramie . The settlers on the Oregon Trail, often hostile-minded Indians, then let the Bethelites move on unmolested.

In November 1855, the Bethelite procession reached the Willapa Hills in what is now Washington State , where they initially settled. There, Willie wedge coffin was near the church today on the evening of November 26, 1855 Menlo buried . There is an information board at the tomb today.

Web links

• Entry in the Washington encyclopedia HistoryLink (English)

References and comments

1. ↑ ^{a b} Pickled Pioneer , on roadsideamerica.com, accessed February 13, 2017.
2. ↑ "100 proof" alcohol in the USA corresponds to 50 % by volume .

Coordinates: 46 ° 38 ′ 43.8 "  N , 123 ° 39 ′ 40.7"  W.