George G. Tilden (1834-1892)

TILDEN

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 3/29/2011 at 12:34:17

From Story County Watchman August 5, 1892

The Ames Watchman

Sunday evening our little city was startled by the report that one of our leading citizens and merchants had committed suicide by hanging and that it was George G. Tilden. It appears that when the family repaired to church in the morning they left him lying upon a lounge and when they returned they supposed he had gone to one of the neighbors as he did at times. In the evening they commenced looking after him and after some time found him in the barn hung. From appearance it would seem that he had tied the rope to a joist and then to his neck jumping off with a fall of several feet. The fall broke his neck and he evidently expired without a struggle. The coroner's jury was duly impaneled and returned a verdict of suicide while laboring under temporary insanity. The funeral was held Tuesday from the Congregational church Rev. Douglass delivering the discourse. The G. A. R. turned out in full force and uniform to the funeral as he was a member of the order. He leaves a wife and several grown children to mourn his loss. He was a native of Vermont and aged about 50 years. He saw much service during the rebellion and at the close held a commission. Since living in Ames he had been almost constantly in some office of trust and responsibility and was highly esteemed for the many noble qualities which be possessed. His loss will be a severe one to this locality and there are none but regret his loss. What possessed him to take this step is a mystery to all as he was not financially embarrassed and his home life was to all intent a happy one. None but the All Wise One can give even a plausible one for the course which he pursued in this instance. The funeral was one of the largest ever held in the city betokening the esteem in which he was held by his neighbors and friends.