Stephen Parker (- 1897)

PARKER

Posted By: Philip Weiss (email)
Date: 2/23/2012 at 20:33:23

From the Wright County Monitor, Wed. 2 Jun 1897.

A telegram was received by Mrs. Maggie Parker Saturday announcing the death of her husband, Stephen Parker, at the Independence insane asylum that morning, he having been found dead in bed by one of the attendants. The remains arrived here next morning and at 4 o'clock Sunday afternoon brief funeral services were held at the Catholic church by Rev. Father Egan, after which the body was interred in the Catholic cemetery east of town. The deceased was well known and highluy respected by the old settlers of this locality, among whom he made it his home a score of years ago. He owned a half section farm in Lincoln township, now the property of J. C. Thul and E. L. Mechem, and was prospering nicely when gradually his mind began to fail and nineteen years ago he was placed in the asylum named, remaining an inmate thereof until his death. It is supposed his insanity was due to one of two causes: being struck on the head in the war of the rebellion, or from a blow on the head by the limb of a falling tree soon after he was mustered out of the service. An autopsy held ot the hospital confirms the theory that his malady was due to some such injury, for it was found that the skull had been fractured and forced down upon the brain. In their sad bereavement the widow, daughters and other relatives have the sympthy of all our citizens.