HOLMGREN, Swan Arvid 1885-1918

HOLMGREN

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 2/18/2016 at 19:07:04

INWOOD MAN COMMITS SUICIDE AT HARTLEY

According to reports from Hartley, Swan Arvid Holmgren who had been working on a farm near Inwood for some months past committed [suicide] at Hartley by hanging himself from the loft of a barn. The Hartley Sentinel gives the following account of the affair:

"Quite a fervor of excitement was created last Friday afternoon when the report came that a man had committed suicide at the Putnam & Brehmer sales barn, just north of the Milwaukee depot and on our arrival at the scene we found the report to be true. The man evidently in a fit of despondency had procured a rope and going into one of the stalls in the east wing of the barn had hung himself from one of the rafters overhead. At what hour the deed was done is not definitely known, but it must have been some time between the noon hour and 3:30 as the body was not discovered until late in the afternoon and from all indications the man had been dead for some time.

Mayor Leese was notified and an effort was made to identify him. When the body was taken down an envelope was found upon which was written to notify a party who later proved to be his brother at Inwood, Iowa. Further information was obtained from the man's brother who arrived here Saturday morning.

Swan Arvid Holmgren was born June 16, 1885 in Sweden and came to America in 1904, making his home at Princeton, Ill., until last fall when he came to Marshaltown and later went to Inwood where two brothers reside and was employed at farm work. About a week ago he told his brothers he was going away to look for work. This is the last they heard of him until they received the news of his death.

The funeral was held Saturday afternoon and interment was made in the Hartley cemetery. He leaves to mourn his death three brothers in America and a mother and three sisters in Sweden."

Source: The Rock Valley Bee, May 17, 1918