Thomas Jefferson Souder and his wife Mary Ellen were buried together in a custom double casket. They had been married for 60 years and passed away just a few days apart in July 1921 - Mary on the 13th and Jeff on the 15th. Both of them had contracted dysentery, which was commonly known as "The Flux" at that time. Dysentery is a type of gastroenteritis typically transmitted through contaminated food and water. In the absence of treatment, it causes rapid loss of bodily fluids, leading to dehydration and eventually death. During the 19th and 20th centuries, before the discovery of penicillin in 1928, dysentery was a frequent cause of death, especially in times of war when access to clean water was limited.
It remains uncertain whether the couple made arrangements for the double coffin while they were still alive and suffering from dysentery, or if it was a decision made by their surviving family members.