Finding Private Mason: The Mason Cemetery, Smithsonian Examination and Giles County Story
Finding Private Mason brings together the original Pulaski Citizen reporting by Claudia Johnson on the relocation of the Mason Cemetery in Giles County, Tennessee, and the extraordinary discovery that followed. What began in 2002 as a local story about moving a 19th-century cemetery from the Industrial Park South site became a nationally recognized investigation involving the Smithsonian Institution, ABC’s “20/20” and Discovery Channel.
At the center of the story was a sealed cast iron coffin believed to contain the remains of Isaac Newton Mason, a Giles County planter and Confederate soldier who died in 1862. Smithsonian forensic anthropologist Dr. Douglas Owsley and a team of scientists, historians and specialists examined the coffin, clothing, boots, bones, hair and tissue samples to help confirm Mason’s identity and better understand his life, death and burial.
This archive presents the original articles, related letters, photographs, historical notes, newspaper clippings, video segments and educational materials in one place for readers, researchers, descendants, local historians and anyone interested in Giles County ancestry.
How the Story Began
In 2002, the Mason Cemetery was relocated from land being developed for Industrial Park South to a new location near Amos Hamlett Road. Archaeologists expected a careful cemetery relocation. What they discovered was something rare: six metal burial cases, including one sealed and intact cast iron coffin. That coffin, believed to be Isaac Newton Mason’s, eventually traveled to the Smithsonian Institution for scientific examination.
What You’ll Find in This Archive
On this page and in the related project entries, readers can explore the full story through:
- Original Pulaski Citizen articles from the Mason Cemetery series
- Historical research on Isaac Newton Mason and his family
- Reporting on the cast iron coffin and 19th-century burial customs
- Details from the Smithsonian examination of Mason’s remains, clothing and boots
- The ABC “20/20” segment and Discovery Channel connection
- Letters, photos, old newspaper clippings and related research materials
- An educational presentation about the reporting and historical significance of the case
Photo: Chip Clark, Smithsonian
A Reporter’s View of a Giles County Mystery
As a staff writer for the Pulaski Citizen, Claudia Johnson covered the cemetery relocation from its beginning, researching the legal process, burial customs, family history, Civil War service and the lives of those buried in the cemetery. Her reporting helped connect local records, family accounts and forensic findings, eventually placing her in the Smithsonian’s research laboratory as Mason’s coffin was opened. She is pictured above with Dr. Doug Owsley at the Smithsonian.
Photo: © Tim Nave
Read the Original Series
The articles below are presented as individual projects in the Giles County Ancestry archive. They preserve the original reporting style while correcting spelling, grammar and formatting issues for online publication. Together, they document the Mason Cemetery relocation, the identification of Isaac Newton Mason, the Smithsonian examination and the broader history of 19th-century burial customs in Giles County.
Hover over the image to select the story you want to read...
Finding Private Mason, an Educational Presentation
In this presentation, Claudia Johnson shares the story behind the Pulaski Citizen series that followed the relocation of the Mason Cemetery, the discovery of a sealed cast iron coffin and the Smithsonian examination that helped identify Isaac Newton Mason. The presentation places the reporting, historical research and forensic findings into a broader educational context for those interested in Giles County history, genealogy, cemetery preservation and Civil War-era burial customs.