Horace R. Cartwright (1878-1960)

CARTWRIGHT, WING, DEWELL

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 9/15/2022 at 22:21:26

From Nevada Journal May 23, 1960 (page 1)

Death Concludes a 59 Yr. Confinement

By Frank Ledbetter

The death of Horace R. Cartwright in the Story County Home on Thursday closes the life of a man confined in an institution, state or county, for almost 60 years.

H. R. Cartwright, 22, was committed to Mt. Pleasant in 1901 after a sanity hearing in Nevada. His address was Colo. he was a laborer there and a notation tells of him having rheumatic fever and possibly being an epileptic.

It notes that he suffered hallucinations and once either stopped or tried to stop a train. The record show his father was confined to a mental institution in Michigan. He was born in Kansas.

In 1902 he was moved to Clarinda and in 1919 the Story County Home.

Had to be Confined

While in the Story County Home at that period, he was a patient who had to be confined. He tore off his clothes and ripped out all the toilet fixtures in the cell. He was like an animal.

In 1925 he was sent to Clarion and 25 years later in 1950 he was returned to the Story County Home where he lived out his days, dying of a heart attack.

He never recovered his speech, but was a good patient, responding to all requests. He dressed, bathed and ate regularly and caused no trouble whatsoever. He was a tall and thin man.

When committed in 1901 the name of Mrs. Emma Wing was given as one to communicate with. Later notations on his record at the County Home, Mrs. I. N. Grindem, wife of the supervisor, said, was to call Mrs. Amy Dewell at Medford, Oregon. No response has come, so far, and he will be buried in the little cemetery at the County Home today, if it was arranged. It is indicated that he has two sisters, but when committed, the record showed no record save a father and the word "none" is written in where the record is asked about other relatives.

But relatives or no relatives, H. R. Cartwright, an afflicted man, lived almost 60 years in institutions before death freed him.