John Sedgwick, a journalist and author, chronicled his family's history and their struggle with mental illness. The Sedgwick family plot, known as the Sedgwick Pie, in Stockbridge, Mass., is a unique burial ground with graves arranged in concentric circles around a central monument. John was initially fascinated by the Pie but later found it represented ancestor worship.
He wrote about the family's funeral traditions, including burial in pajamas and a horse-drawn cart for funerals. His mother, Emily Ames (Lincoln) Sedgwick, suffered from depression and was hospitalized at Mc Lean, a psychiatric facility in Boston. John himself experienced a mental health crisis at age 46, feeling untethered and plagued by racing thoughts.
Medication and therapy helped him recover, and his half brother, Harry, also struggled with the same condition.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing