History buffs can join longtime Ironton residents this weekend to find out more about the city during a guided walking tour at Woodland Cemetery.

Friday, October 20, 2000

History buffs can join longtime Ironton residents this weekend to find out more about the city during a guided walking tour at Woodland Cemetery.

Sponsored by the Lawrence County Historical Society, Saturday’s 10 a.m. walking tour is the last of three this season. The prevous two were held May 13 and July 3.

"We tried to spread the trips out," walking tour guide Naomi Deer said. "It’s not too far from Halloween and there are some mysteries that pertain to it, although there is nothing spooky or Halloween-themed in the tour."

Visitors to the cemetary who take the tour will hear stories.

Each grave tells one, some of them mysterious, Mrs. Deer said.

Since Ironton’s leading citizens from days gone by are buried at Woodland, the stories are entangled with Ironton’s history as well, she said.

The stories of "Lorena," Marshall Field, the Russian Ballerina and the ironmasters are just a few of the popular stories told, she said.

"One of the stories that we tell is about Osa Wilson," Mrs. Deer said. "There is a statue on her grave of a woman decending a staircase. There is a handprint on the cheek of the statue that will not go away. There have been several attempts made to cover the handprint, and it keeps bleeding through."

Another story is told of Dr. Joseph Lawry, who died in the 1920s. It is documented that they found Dr. Lawry dead and later suspected foul play, Mrs. Deer said. Authorities couldn’t reach Dr. Lawry’s heir to open the vault to have the body examined, so they had to break the lock.

Although no evidence of foul play was found, the investigation was hampered because Dr. Lawry’s organs had been replaced with sawdust when he had been prepared for burial, Mrs. Deer said.

It took the authorities some time to locate the rest of Dr. Lawry’s remains and continue the investigation, she said.

In addition to such stories about Ironton’s famous families, talks on the Underground Railroad are planned by historian Luann Blagg.

During the two previous tours, Martin Smith spoke about the parrot rifles from the Civil War. Lawrence County has four of the 57 guns found in the United States.

Saturday’s tour will last about two hours. The Coal Grove entrance will be used due to the Lorain Street bridge needing repairs. Parking is in the Civil War and Hebrew sections.