LaGrone, Judson W., Rev., 1875-1935

LAGRONE, JOINER, TOLER, JOHNSTON, JOHNSON

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:34

From the Hawarden Independent, March 21, 1935:

KILLS HIMSELF WITH SHOTGUN
Rev. J. W. La Grone Ends Life Here Tuesday Night
Former Hawarden Pastor Drove Here from Wahpeton, N.D., in Order to Commit Rash Act

Rev. J. W. LaGrone of Wahpeton, N.D., former pastor of the Methodist church in Hawarden, committed suicide in this city sometime Tuesday evening by shooting himself in the head with a double-barrelled shotgun. The tragic act was committed in his automobile which he had parked on the south side of the Methodist church here and his lifeless body was discovered inside the car about 2:30 Wednesday morning.

The parked car was first noticed on the south side of the church about 7 o’clock Tuesday evening, shortly before dark, and numerous people saw it there through the evening but no one took sufficient heed to investigate it. Late that night H. S. Campbell and Miss Caryl Beitz, teachers in the Hawarden schools, started for Sioux City in a car to meet Courtney Slife who was returning home from Ames for a brief vacation. They noticed the car as they started for Sioux City and remarked about it and when returning with Courtney Slife from Sioux City mentioned it again and they decided to investigate if the car should still be there on their return. When they found the car in the same spot Courtney got out to investigate. When he noted the North Dakota number plates he immediately recognized the car, an Essex sedan, as belonging to Rev. LaGrone and on looking inside was horrified to see the lifeless body of the minister. They immediately notified the night police officers who took charge. The body was removed from the car and taken to the Ross Funeral Home and the car was removed to the Cambier garage.

Apparently the suicide had been carefully planned and timed. So far as The Independent has determined no one talked with Rev. LaGrone in Hawarden Tuesday. Apparently he had left his home in North Dakota that morning and reached Hawarden in the early evening and paid a visit to the cemetery as tracks of his car, identified by the tread marks of his tires, were found there Wednesday morning near the grave where his first wife is buried. While driving out towards the cemetery shortly before 7 o’clock Tuesday evening Mr. and Mrs. Claus Lage met the car driven by Rev. LaGrone coming towards town but did not recognize him. It seems evident that he drive directly to the point where the car was found and shot himself about that time.

No one reported hearing the discharge of the gun but the car was tightly closed and the sound would undoubtedly have been muffled. He apparently placed the butt of the gun on the floor of the car with the muzzle against the side of his neck and reached down and pulled the trigger or double-trigger with his right hand as exploded shells were found in both barrels of the gun. A gaping wound was torn through the side of his head and face. The body was in the front seat of the car with the head thrown back as though reclining in the seat. Quantities of blood were spattered over the windows on the left hand side of the car and there was a hole ripped through the top of the car where a part of the gun charge emerged.

He apparently chose the spot for the deed with care and counted upon an early discovery. In a pocket of the car was found a letter, sealed, stamped and addressed to his daughter, Miss Julia LeGrone, at Oakland, Neb. Pinned to this letter was a note on a single small piece of paper written with lead pencil which read:

“When I am found call C. A. Slife and immediately notify Rev. J. L. LaGrone, El Reno, Oklahoma; Miss Julia LaGrone, Oakland, Nebraska; Mr. Roy Merchant, Wahpeton, N.D.; Dr. Koch, 1400 Mulberry St., Sioux City.”

The spot where he was found was only a block from the C. A. Slife home. Coroner A. C. Jongewaard was here from Sioux Center Wednesday afternoon but after enquiring into the circumstances decided that an inquest was unnecessary.

Rev. LaGrone was 60 in February and had been in the ministry practically all of his adult life. He was reared in the south and it was while holding a pastorate at Crowley, La., that he met and was married to Miss Sallie Toler on Feb. 22, 1905. They later moved to Port Arthur, Texas, and in 1913 he joined the Northwest Iowa conference of the Methodist Episcopal church. His first pastorate in Iowa was at Kingsley, where he served for four years. He then spent two years in a pastorate at Clarion, four years at Estherville and two years at Sheldon. He came to Hawarden as pastor of the local Methodist church in October, 1925, and remained here for three years. It was while living here that he suffered a great grief in the loss of his wife, who was so terribly burned in a gasoline explosion in the basement of her home that she died within a few hours. This occurred on July 20, 1926. It is thought that he brooded much over her tragic death and that when he determined upon suicide came to Hawarden to commit the act so that he might be buried beside her.

At the Methodist conference in the fall of 1928 Rev. LaGrone was transferred from Hawarden to the pastorate at Rockwell City, Iowa. Just before leaving for Rockwell City, on Oct. 4, 1928, he was united in marriage with Miss Hattie Johnston at Westfield, Iowa. After a year or more at Rockwell City he exchanged pastorates with a Methodist minister at Valley City, N.D., where he continued to serve until last fall when he was transferred to Wahpeton.

He is survived by his wife and one son, John, aged 15, at Wahpeton, another son, Hiram LaGrone, who is married and now living in Port Arthur, Texas, and two daughters, Miss Julia LaGrone, a teacher at Oakland, Neb., and Miss Dellora LaGrone of Forman, N.D.

Rev. LaGrone was a man of boundless energy. During his Hawarden pastorate he was especially active with men’s groups and was the inspiration of a large men’s class in his church. He took an active interest in questions of public concern and was fearless in his advocacy of those causes to which he was committed. He possessed a keen mind and a jovial disposition, and made many friends both inside and outside his church who are shocked at the tragic manner of his death.

Mrs. LaGrone, accompanied by John and Miss Dellora LaGrone arrived here from Wahpeton Wednesday afternoon as did Miss Julia LaGrone from Oakland, Neb., and Rev. J. L. LaGrone, a brother, is expected to reach here from El Reno, Okla., some time today.

Funeral services will be held at the Methodist church in this city at 2:30 Friday afternoon with Rev. Robt. H. Forrester in charge, assisted by Dr. Robt. E. O’Brian, president of Morningside College, and Rev. M. L. Metcalf, also of Sioux City. Interment will be made in Grace Hill cemetery.

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Last Rites for Rev. La Grone

The funeral services of Rev. Judson W. LaGrone were held in the Methodist church in Hawarden at 2:30 last Friday, March 22nd. The services were in charge of the pastor, Dr. Robt. H. Forrester, who spoke in warm appreciation of Mr. LaGrone as a friend and worker in the church. President Robt. E. O’Brien of Morningside College gave the sermon. Prayer was offered by Supt. O. M. Bond of the Sioux City district of the Methodist church. Rev. Mr. Sharkey of the North Dakota conference read the Scripture lesson. The closing prayer was given by Rev. Caskey of Wahpeton, N.D., pastor of the Congregational church there. Rev. Thos. B. Collins of Rock Rapids and J. B. Walker of Kingsley had charge of the services at Grace Hill cemetery. The music for the services was given by the singers who composed the choir of the church when Mr. LaGrone was pastor here seven years ago.

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His death was also covered, more briefly, in several other area newspapers, some of which give additional information.

The Estherville Vindicator and Republican (March 21, 1935):
About two years after his wife’s death the Rev. LaGrone was united in marriage to Hattie Johnson, an evangelistic singer, who had a pastorate at Dickens at one time.

The Alton Democrat, March 29, 1935, Rock Valley news:
Rev. La Grone leaves a widow, formerly Miss Hattie E. Johnston, who at one time—or to be accurate—in November, 1923, assisted Rev. M. L. Metcalf in a series of revival meetings at the Methodist church…. Rev. and Mrs. LaGrone were united in marriage Oct. 4, 1928, at Westfield, Ia.

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RESEARCH NOTES

The Sioux County Cemetery Index has LaGrone, Judson W., b. 22 Feb 1875, d. 20 Mar 1935, Grace Hill Cem Hawarden IA.

FindaGrave.com has him as Rev. Judson Washington LaGrone, born 22 Feb 1875 in Deadwood, Panola County, Texas; parents Hiram Clark LeGrone (1847-1928) and Frances Ellen Elizabeth Joiner LaGrone (1843-1885). It lists four full siblings and nine half siblings.

His death certificate has him as Judson W. La Grone; wife Hattie Johnson La Grone; born Feb. 22, 1875 in Deadwood, Texas; parents Hiram La Grone, born in Deadwood, Texas, and Ellen Joiner, born in Texas. Cause of death: “2 gunshot wounds on either side of neck severing aesophagus and other trans jugular vein inflicted by 12 gauge shot gun (2 discharges) in his own hands.”

His World War I draft registration card (Sept. 1918) gives his full name, Judson Washington LaGrone, resident of Clarion, Iowa, age 43, born February 22, 1875; minister of the gospel, Methodist Episcopal Church; nearest relative Sallie Toler La Grone; tall, stout build, brown eyes, black hair.