It was August of 1888. Captain Martin Van Buren Bates, formerly of the Confederate Army, was grieving. His wife had passed away, and he had ordered her casket from a manufacturer in Cleveland, Ohio. Although Bates had provided precise dimensions for the coffin, his telegram created great consternation in the coffin maker’s office. When the coffin arrived, Bates was furious. He informed the designers that the casket was far too small—Bates’s original request had been completely accurate. Three days later, a proper-sized coffin arrived for the remains of Anna Haining…
