SHELBY  COUNTY OBITS




SUICIDE OF A FORMER SHELBY MAN
 News was recently received by his friends in this county, that Sylvester Monroney, of Casey, Illinois, had committed suicide by cutting his throat.  Deceased was formerly a resident of Marion Township, and removed to Illinois, about twenty years ago, where he engaged in farming.  At the time of his death he was about fifty0five years old, and leaves a wife and several children.  He was a brother of Mrs. Clarissa Bennefield, also of the wives of Oliver, Jonah and Sylvester Bassett and father of Mrs. Melvin Bowman.  We are not informed as to the cause of this act of self-destruction.
The following obit appeared in the Shelby Co., Indiana newspaper. Obituary, Shelbyville Volunteer, Shelbyville, Indiana; Thursday, March 21, 1878 
Contributed by Marge Roberts



Shelbyville IN. Oct. 8, 1897.   
J.S. Jerrres, president of the Farmers’ Bank, of this city, died of heart trouble this morning. Mr. Jeffres was born in Westchester, Butler County, Ohio, Sept. 7, 1842. He married Mary Devol, daughter of Thomas Devol, in 1867, and from that time until 1874 lived in Westchester, keeping a general store. In 1874, he formed a partnership with Mr. Devol in the grain business in this city, and continued in that business until the organization of the Farmer’s Bank, of which he became president. His wife, and daughter Aurilla survive. A little daughter, Persie, died about 14 yrs ago. Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon.

Morristown, IN. Jan. 24, 1898. 
Thornton K. Graham, age 35, formerly prominent businessman here, died today from consumption. He was a member of the Navarre Lodge, Knights of Pythias.

Indianapolis Sentinel 1877-06-22
Sol Auerbach, a prominent citizen of Shelby County, of the Masaic faith, died at his residence in Shelbyville at 8:15 pm Wednesday evening of paralysis. His remains will be interred in the Jewish Cemetery, under the charge of several orders of which he is  a member. Esquire L. Feibleman, of Shelbyville, was in the city yesterday to make arrangements for his funeral today on the arrival of the 12:23 train. The funeral services will be conducted by Rabbi Messing, at the grave.

1896-02-25
Shelbyville Ind. Jan 8
Acting Coroner C.R. Bruce found that James Toney came to his death from paralysis. toney's body was found last Sunday afternoon by his divorced wife, and the report was given that he was frozen to death.

Source: Times November 28, 2008
A great-great-grandmother who was the world's oldest person has died at the age of 115.
    Indiana woman Edna Parker, who assumed the mantle more than a year ago, passed away on Wednesday at a nursing home in Shelbyville. She was 115 years, 220 days old.
    Mrs Parker was born April 20, 1893, in central Indiana and had been recognised by Guinness as the world’s oldest person since the 2007 death of Japan's Yone Minagawa, who was four months her senior.
    Dr Stephen Coles, the UCLA gerontologist who maintains a list of the world’s oldest people, said Mrs Parker was the 14th oldest validated super-centenarian in history. Maria de Jesus of Portugal, who was born September 10, 1893, is now the world’s oldest living person, according to the Gerontology Research Group.
    Mrs Parker became a widow in 1939 - the year Judy Garland starred in The Wizard of Oz - when her husband, Earl Parker, died of a heart attack. She was 48. She remained alone in their farmhouse until age 100, when she moved into a son’s home and later to the Shelbyville nursing home.
    Though she never drank alcohol or smoked and led an active lifestyle, she didn't credit this for her advanced years.
    A teacher, her only advice to those who gathered to celebrate when she became the world's oldest person was to get “more education.”
    Mrs Parker outlived both her sons, Clifford and Earl Jr. She also had five grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren.
    Don Parker, 60, said his grandmother had a small frame and a mild temperament. She walked a lot and kept busy even after moving into the nursing home, he said.
    “She kept active,” he said yesterday. “We used to go up there, and she would be pushing other patients in their wheelchairs.”
    Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, who celebrated with Mrs Parker on her 114th birthday, said it had been a "delight" to know her. She must have been a remarkable lady at any age, he added.
    Mrs Parker graduated from the state's Franklin College in 1911 and went on to teach in a two-room school for several years.
    She married Earl, her childhood sweetheart and neighbour, in 1913.
    As was usual at the time, her career came to an end with her marriage and Mrs Parker became a farmer's wife, spending her days tending the home and preparing meals for the dozen men who worked on the farm.
    Last year, she noted with pride that she and her husband were one of the first owners of an automobile in their rural area.
    Coincidentally, Mrs Parker lived in the same nursing home as Sandy Allen, whom at 7ft 7¼ was officially the world's tallest woman until her death in August.

New Albany Daily Ledger Tues., 20 Mar 1855 p2 c2:
A man named James Fields was run over by a fright train at the Shelbyville depot, on Tuesday night, and instantly killed, having one leg and both arms cut off and his head badly crushed.


Mrs. Emily Fisher, 69 years old, died at her home, south of here. Three daughters, Mrs. Lula Stanfield, Edinburg; Mrs. Zella Harrell and Miss Myrtle Fisher, this city; five sons, Ora F. Fisher, St. Louis, Mo.; Willis Fisher, Henry Fisher, and Noah Fisher, Shelby county and Jesse Fisher, Indianapolis; two brothers Frank and John Scott, Johnson County, survive

Henry T. Roberts, 67 year old business man, died here from heart trouble. He had been engaged in the automobile business in Shelbyville for several years. the widow, two sons, H.C. Roberts and R.N. Roberts; two daughters Mrs. Louisa McCabe and Mrs. Anna Lewis; two sisters, Mrs. Tabitha Lewis and Mrs. Mary Gordon this city survives.

Mrs. Julia Kathleen Mohr, 18 years old, is dead at her home here from influenza. The husband, Andrew Mohr; an infant son Russell; her father, Aaron Alyea; one brother, Marlowe Alyea and one sister, Mrs. Alice Roberts, Shelby County, sirvives.

George Becker, 85 years old, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Ozra Moore, north of here. Death was caused by cancer. He leaves two sons and four daughters. February 14, 1923 Indianapolis Sunday Star

SHELBYVILLE, Ind., June 11 - An old man, whose name may never be known, died in the county jail here last night. His past history is a blank. he was fairly well dressed and about seventy-five years old. Early yesterday morning he was found sound asleep on a grass plot near the Big Four depot. When awakened he was so exhausted that he could not give an account of himself, but save a name sounding like Van Bibber. One side of his face, was nearly entirely, eaten away with cancer. He was taken to the jail and locked up. This morning he was found dead, but with no marks of violence. He was buried this afternoon in potters-field. There was no paper nor trinket by which to Identify him. His manner was refined.
Source: Indiana State Journal June 17 1898

Fort Wayne News January 15, 1896
Shelbyville, Ind., Jan. 8.
Acting: Coroner C R. Bruce found that James Toney came to his death from paralysis. Toney's body was found last Sunday afternoon by his divorced wife, and the report was given out that he was frozen to death.

Shelbyville, Ind. April 13—Hank Walker, the horseman, well known over southern and central Indiana, died at his home in this city last night of Bright's disease. Mr. Walker's wife died a few weeks ago, and this probably hastened his own demise. He leaves six children.
Indiana Journal April 15, 1896

Shelbyville IN.
Oct. 8, 1897. 
 J.S. Jerrres, president of the Farmers’ Bank, of this city, died of heart trouble this morning. Mr. Jeffres was born in Westchester, Butler County, Ohio, Sept. 7, 1842. He married Mary Devol, daughter of Thomas Devol, in 1867, and from that time until 1874 lived in Westchester, keeping a general store. In 1874, he formed a partnership with Mr. Devol in the grain business in this city, and continued in that business until the organization of the Farmer’s Bank, of which he became president. His wife, and daughter Aurilla survive. A little daughter, Persie, died about 14 yrs ago. Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon.

Shelbyville, IN.
Dec. 31,1898.    Henry Doble, one of the best known men in this part of the State, died at his residence in this city this morning, aged 67, of tumor of the brain. He was sheriff of this county for 2 terms during the war. For years he was engaged in the hardware business in this city and as a public auctioneer. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, which will have charge of the funeral Monday afternoon.

Morristown, IN.
Aug.30,1899. The remains of Lewis Burklie, the aged suicide who blew up his home with dynamite and then went to his barn and took his own life were buried this afternoon in the county cemetery. It is learned that he had whipped his wife the day before his suicide and she left home for a neighbor’s. Later he endeavored to persuade her to return, but she refuse. It is thought that had she returned he would also have taken her life. The Bible was the only book he would allow in his home, and took no papers.

Shelbyville, IN.
Feb. 18,1896.  Less than a week ago Mrs. John Schoelch committed suicide by jumping into a cistern, and this morning Mrs. Anna Worden, age 27, wife of William Worden, and a daughter of Phillip Wiemar, followed the example. With her husband she visited her father and mother last night, and retired in the best of spirits. Some time in the night she dressed, and going over into a neighbor’s yard, she jumped into a cistern containing about 24 inches of water. No cause can be assigned for the act. She left a note, which read: “Poor Will-poor pa-poor ma-no home.” She was a member of the Daughters of Rebekah, who will have charge of internment.

Shelbyville, Ind.. Aug. 20 - John Clark, a wealthy contractor and builder of this city, dropped dead between his stable and residence this evening from heart disease. He had been a sufferer from the disease for years. He was eighty-one years old and would have passed for sixty anywhere. He was a member of the William Walker  filibustering expedition to Nicaragua in 1855 being one of the sixty-two followers who accompanied that noted adventurer from California. Clark was present in Granada when General Corral was shot. Nov. 8.  by order of a court-martial over which Walker presided. He followed Walker and assisted him in a number of his expeditions, among the Central American states until Walker was finally captured and shot during the revolution in Honduras. Clark returned to this country and joined the Southern Confederacy, serving until the close of the war. He was a member of General Lee's army, which surrendered at Richmond. He leaves a widow and large property. most of which has been accumulated since he came here.
Indiana Journal June 26, 1896

Morristown, Ind., Jan. 26.- Mrs. Eliza Burton, aged forty, died of consumption and was buried here to-day. She was a niece of tho late Hon. Morgan Chandler.of Greenfield, and a sister-in-law of Hon. Ralph Burton, nominee for United States senator In Kansas. She leaves two children, William S. and Edith; the latter of whom will make her home with her uncle in Kansas.
Indiana Journal February 3, 1897

John Carter.
Morristown, Ind., Feb. 27-John Carter, who has for many years been the leading stock dealer of this locality, died  this morning from heart disease, aged sixty-seven. He was long prominent In Democratic political circles.
Date: 1899-03-01; Paper: Indiana State Journal

Grieved to Death,
Shelbyville, Ind., Feb, 19. - Charles LaFollette, arrested here at the instance of his grandfather, William Spencer, on a charge of stealing $30 from his grandparent, died in jail, having grieved himself to death. He was from Greenfield, where his body will be taken for interment.
Warren Republican Feb. 21 1895

Shelbyville, Ind.. March 30. -Amelia Monroe, aged eighty-nine died, last night, from the effects of burns received last Thursday night.
The Indiana State Journal, (Indianapolis, IN) Wednesday, April 1, 1896; pg. 5 [Candi]

MORRISTOWN. Ind„ June 1, Mrs. William G. Moore fell dead while sitting In the congregation during church services yesterday evening at Little Blue River Church, four miles southeast of here. She was apparently in her usual health, and had Just entered the church with an infant In her arms when persons sitting near her saw her falling forward and caught her. She expired almost instantly.
Date: 1896-06-03; Paper: Indiana State Journal

William BUSCH, a German, aged twenty-seven, who came from the Fatherland two years ago and settled at Shelbyville, and who was discharged from employment on Saturday last because of dissipated habits, committed suicide by hanging.
Indiana General News Items from the Indianapolis News 8 December, 1890

Lewis MEYERS, a farmer of Shelby county, dropped dead while repairing a sled.
Indiana General News Items from the Indianapolis News 12 December, 1890 Page 6 Column 5

Ada Henry Buned to Death.
SHELBYVILLE, Ind., Jan. 9.—Ada Henry, a sixteen-year-old girl living near Flairland, while filling a lamp with coal oil, accidentally dropped the lamp on the bare floor, scattering the oil on her clothing. In order to remove the oil from the floor
she lighted it with a match. Her clothing took fire and her body was blistered and blackened from head to foot, and after twelve hours of agony she died. Until death came she was entirely conscious and gave directions about the funeral.
Date: 1898-12-28;  Paper: Indiana State Journal






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