John Herritt (died 1879)

HERRITT, GRACEY

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 2/8/2009 at 19:26:06

Jackson Sentinel, August 28, 1879.

JOHN HERRITT, an Irishman, who has been in Iowa come two years, and was in the employ of James Gracey, a wealthy farmer living near Mt. Algor, was killed in a horrible manner on Tuesday last. He was on horseback going to a neighbor’s to assist in threshing, when the animal becoming frightened by some object on the road threw his rider who had fastened a halter attached to the bridle in some way to a belt around his waist. In falling he was unable to detach the halter strap and consequently was dragged over the ground by the running horse and bruised and mangled in a horrible manner. His scalp was completely torn off and the body presented an appearance too horrifying to describe. He lived about twenty minutes after the disaster. A coroner’s inquest brought in a verdict in accordance with the above facts. The effects of the unfortunate man, in the absence of relatives were given to Mr. Gracey, who took charge of the remains and arranged for a respectable burial in the Sterling graveyard. The funeral services were conducted by the Rev. Coates at the Sterling church on Wednesday following the event.