Eyres, Isaac 1834-1894

EYRES

Posted By: Viv Reeves, Volunteer (email)
Date: 2/9/2007 at 15:20:08

From the LeMars Sentinel, LeMars, (Plymouth), Iowa, Monday, December 10, 1894, Page 4, Column 5:

DEATH OF ISAAC EYERS (sic--Eyres)
Full Particulars of the Accident, Verdict of the Coroners Jury.

The terrible death of Isaac Eyres, which was reported in the Sentinel of last Thursday, has awakened the sympathies of the many friends of the family throughout the county for the bereaved family.

Immediately after the sad news of his death was brought to town, Coroner Gray went out and an inquest was held over the remains, with Conrad Kohl, L. A. Inglett and Wm. Semple acting as jurors. The verdict of the jury was that he came to his death by falling from the windmill tower, but whether it was caused by his being blown off, or being knocked off by the wheel starting or whether he fell off in an epileptic fit, to which he was subject, will never be known.

The Sentinel's O'Leary correspondent says of the accident: "Thursday morning, Dec. 6, Mr. Eyres asked if the windmill needed to be set going and said he would put it in gear and oil it. The whole family had often remonstrated with him about going on the tower, but he insisted that he could do it as well as anyone and nothing more was thought of it. Charles and Ernest, aged respectively, nineteen and seventeen, were busy about the chores, and thought nothing of their father's absence till he had been gone an hour or more. On searching for him they were horrified to find him lying on the ground near the windmill with blood oozing from his ear. They immediately picked him up and carried him quite a distance to the house. Neighbors were summoned and a doctor sent for, but life was found to be extinct."

His body showed but few marks of the terrible fall and it was only upon examination by the coroner that it was found that his thigh bones were broken.

The deceased was a Canadian being born in Durham county, Canada, in 1834, therefore being nearly 61 years old at the time of his death. He has resided on his farm in Union township for the past 13 years and during the period that he has thus lived in the county he had become widely known and respected. He has ever been a staunch Presbyterian and an upright Christian and he has raised God-fearing family of eleven children, seven sons and four daughters, all but two of who reside in this county.

The funeral took place from the house Saturday and was one of the largest ever seen in Union township. Rev. Wm. Semple officiated.