Mrs. James Bresnahan, died August 1917

BRESNAHAN, OCONNOR, CRANE

Posted By: Pat Ryan White (email)
Date: 10/22/2017 at 07:30:30

FELL INTO THE CISTERN

MRS. JAMES BRESNAHAN MEETS WITH TRAGIC END

Was Ninety-Two Years of Age. Body Found at Bottom of Cistern on Son's Place South of Town. Was Evidently an Accident.

Mrs. James Bresnahan, one of the oldest residents of the city met with a tragic end last evening when her body was found at the bottom of the cistern on her son's place south of town. Of late years the deceased lady, who was born in Ireland ninety-two years ago, had divided her home between that of her daughter, Mrs. William O'Connor and her son, Mr. Dan Bresnahan, never staying at any one place for any great length of time. Yesterday afternoon she was seen by neighbors on the porch of the Dan Bresnahan home between three and four o'clock and was then missing. At six Mr. Dan Bresnahan, who had been away working all day, returned home and not finding his mother in the house, began making investigations. On the place was a cistern which was covered by a bed spring. Noticing that the cover seemed to have been moved, he lifted it and found his mother's body at the bottom. It was at once removed, life being extinct. The theory is that the deceased woman, who was fond of wandering about, had lifted the bed spring to peer into the cistern and that it sprang back into place throwing her to the bottom. Coroner Crane was communicated with, but decided that there was no need to hold an inquest. To mourn her loss, the deceased leaves three children, Mrs. William O'Connor, Mr. Daniel Bresnahan and Mr. James Bresnahan, all of this city. Her husband predeceased her twenty-three years ago. Mrs. Bresnahan was a devoted member of the Catholic Church and the funeral services will be held at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church Monday morning at 9:30 o'clock.

["Mt. Pleasant Daily News", August 11, 1917, page 3]