Frary, W. G. 1865-1911

FRARY, MARSHALL, KELLOGG, BUTLER, TELFER, REASNOR, RICHARDS

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 1/13/2010 at 12:54:48

Sad Death of W. G. Frary

Commits Suicide on his Farm Near Prairie City

The startling news reached Newton Friday evening by telephone that Will G. Frary, a well known and highly esteemed citizen of Newton for several years, had committed suicide on his farm two and a half miles southeast of Prairie City. The news seemed almost impossible to those who had know Mr. Frary here in former years, and to his aged mother and only sister, Mrs. George Frary and Mrs. S. S. Marshall, the shock was almost more than they could bear. Mr. and Mrs. Marshall went to Prairie City immediately and remained until after the funeral of their brother on Sunday afternoon.

The real cause which led the genial, happy hearted Will Frary to take his own life, just when the future seemed to be the most promising for him, is a mystery to those who knew him the most intimately, and who loved him best.

Although he had suffered some from heart-trouble for years, and at times had been afflicted with severe headaches, neither of these had bothered him for some time, and during the day on which he committed the terrible deed, he had seemed unusually well and cheerful. In the morning he had brought a load of coal from the bank, and after eating his noonday dinner with his wife and children, attended to a number of little chores about the house. About 3 o’clock he took a halter and started down into the pasture to look after the horses, which was the last seen of him alive.

As he did not return home at supper time, his wife became alarmed and phoned inquiries to the neighbors, and soon a search was instituted. About 7 o’clock in the evening his brothers in law, Charles Kellogg and Arthur Butler, found the lifeless body suspended from a willow tree bending over a small creek which runs through the farm. He had climbed upon the branch of the tree, adjusted the halter around his neck and fastened it to the limb, then deliberately jumped to his immediate death, his neck being broken.

In his pocket was found a small sum of money wrapped in a piece of paper, on one side of which being written a request that it be used to pay his insurance assessment; on the other side a loving goodbye message to his aged mother, his only sister, and to his wife and precious children, to whom his untimely death is a terrible blow.

Funeral services were held at the Prairie City M. E. Church, of which he was a devout member, at 2 o’clock on Sunday afternoon, conducted by the pastor, Rev. Mercer. There was a large attendance of sorrowing and sympathizing friends, which with the many beautiful flowers, attested the high esteem in which Mr. Frary was held in the community.

Wm. G. Frary was born in Brodhead, Wisconsin, January 15, 1965 being in his 46th year at the time of his death. In the fall of 1880, he moved with his parents to Albion, Neb., but after a few years there they came to Newton and established their permanent home. In the spring of 1896 he was united in marriage with Miss Anna Telfer, near Prairie City, who with two dear children, Fern and Roy, now mourn the untimely death of a devoted Christian husband and father. The aged mother, Mrs. Harriet Frary, who makes her home with her youngest and only daughter, Mrs. Floy Marshall, in this city, has had her full measure of sorrow since she came to Newton–the death of her aged companion, and of her two daughters-Mary, wife of Henry M. Reasnor, and Mattie with her husband, Adrian Richards-and now the only son, taken under circumstances of such crushing sadness lays upon her dear old heart the heaviest burden of all; and, added to the weight of over 80 years, is almost more than she can bear up under. To her, to the only sister and to the sorely bereaved wife and children the tenderest sympathy is felt by everybody in this community. ~ Newspaper unknown.