James Banks, died 1876

BANKS

Posted By: S. Ferrall
Date: 8/28/2011 at 11:33:06

James Banks, an aged and well known citizen of this county, residing for many years on his farm in Taylor township about 10 miles South of this place, committed suicide on Saturday last by hanging himself to a small tree near his premises. For some time past, especially since the early part of this month, his family have observed indications of absence of mind and other strange conduct on the part of the old gentleman, who has been for a long time too infirm to perform manual labor; but no fear of his taking his life was entertained. On the morning of Saturday, Mrs. Banks, came to Lansing, leaving her husband at home. He was asked to accompany her, but preferred to remain. After a time he walked over to the house of his son, near by, and was last seen alive when he returned in the direction of home.

At noon, his son, returning to dinner from the field, found the old man absent and the length of time that had elapsed since he was last seen caused a search to be made. His body was found suspended from a small tree, in the grove in the rear of and a short distance from the house, hanging dead from a limb, a rope tied about his neck, and his feet hanging in the air. He seems to have adjusted the rope about his neck, stepped from the ground to a fork in the tree, a short distance above the ground, fastened the rope to a limb, and, swinging loose from the fork, death was probably almost instantaneous, as the body bore no marks of prolonged suffering. Enfeebled from illness and advanced years, death from the means employed was an easy matter.

~Postville Review, July 26, 1876

~Notes: James Banks, age 58, b. in England, was enumerated in Taylor twp. on the 1870 US census. In his household were wife Mary, age 52 b. England; and children: John, age 23 b. PA; Robert, age 21 b. PA; William, age 16 b. IA; George, age 14 b. IA; Mary, age 12 b. IA; Joseph, age 8 b. IA. Also in the household was Emma Ratcliff, age 17 b. VA, a school teacher.

Burial is in Thompson Corner cemetery, Lafayette Township

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Added by Cheryl Moonen on 10/19/2017:

Thursday, July 27, 1876, Sibley Gazette (Sibley, Iowa) Page: 2

Saturday last, James Banks, an old man some 70 years of age, living about five miles from Lansing, committed suicide, for the reason, as supposed, that his wife would not allow him to go to Lansing with her. This is the second suicide on the same place within a few years. -Waukon Standard