ROTH, Christian 1849 - 1897

ROTH, HICKENBOTTOM

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 7/10/2016 at 17:27:17

"The Fairfield Ledger"
April 21, 1897

Took His Own Life.

Christian ROTH, who lived two and a half miles south of this city, killed himself with a shotgun Wednesday evening about 6:30 while suffering from temporary aberration of the mind. After eating supper with his family and aged father, he arose from the table, proceeded to a closet and carried into execution a plan for ending his own life which he must have considered carefully before. Taking a loaded shotgun which was in the closet, he placed the muzzle against his breast near the right nipple, and discharged the weapon with his hand. Mrs. ROTH heard the report and ran to the room, where she found her husband leaning against the wall, with blood flowing from his breast. The charge of shot had ranged upward and toward the right shoulder and death had been instantaneous. Coroner Stinson and Dr. Fordyce were immediately summoned, but the circumstances surrounding the affair were so plain that no inquest was held.

Christian ROTH was forty-eight years of age. He was a son of Jacob ROTH, the well known Fairfield township farmer, and all his life had been spent near the old homestead south of this city. He was industrious, energetic, thrifty, a man of excellent character and the highest standing in the community. It was very generally supposed that he was in rugged health, but his physician and those nearest him have noted indications of mental disturbance for some time past, and there is no question that while in a fit of depression he took his own life. No other reason can be assigned for the deed, for Mr. ROTH owned a large and well kept farm and was in good circumstances, while his domestic relations, as far as the public knows, where pleasant. That he had not long contemplated the act is shown by the fact that he had recently contracted for the erection of a new home on his farm and had other improvements in view. Mr. ROTH was married to Miss Ada HICKENBOTTOM October 12th, 1893, and his wife and one child, a son about a year old, survive him. The sympathies of the community are with the family in its sad affliction. Funeral services were held Friday afternoon at the home, conducted by Rev. J. F. Magill, and the remains were interred in the cemetery near the ROTH homestead.

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*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.