by William A Clouston
Another extraordinary beard was that of Van Butchell, the quack doctor, who died at London in 1814, in his 80th year. This singular individual had his first wife’s body carefully embalmed and preserved in a glass case in his “study,” in order that he might enjoy a handsome annuity to which he was entitled “so long as his wife remained above ground.”
This is actually in a section on Beards.
Martin Van Butchell was a dentist, according to PubMed. The authors assert that his wife Mary’s remains were embalmed as an advertising gimmick. This site also suggests the “marriage contract clause” was merely a rumor.
Having gone out of my way to see mummies, I can understand why Van Butchell expected visitors once people knew of this attraction.