Clay County Deaths in 1907 & 1908

Excerpted from The Brazil Times

26 July 1907:  Mrs. Wilhelmina TAPEY passed away today at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Joseph ANDERSON, 13 Cass Street, of paralysis.  Mrs. TAPEY was the widow of the late Francis H. TAPEY, who resided one mile south of Poland.  Mrs. TAPEY was an exemplary woman and is survived by a large circle of relatives and friends.

31 July 1907:  At the home of Alex and Nettie SKENE on North Vandalia Street their little so, David Thomas, passed away after a hard struggle of about two weeks duration of dysentery.  Little David was just past 18 months old and was a bright and cheerful little chap prior to his illness.  Several physicians were called to see little David but it seemed as this dreaded disease had taken hold to stay and only temporary relief could be obtained until the death messenger came and relieved him of all his pain.

16 Dec 1907:  Staunton, Ind., Dec. 15. —Mrs. Ameda WILLIAMS, 84 years old, one of the oldest residents of this place, died at about 6 o’clock this evening of general debility.  She has been very feeble for about a year and it was not thought that she would live through the winter.  She leaves three sons and two daughters, Marion WILLIAMS of Carney, Okla.; Ben and John WILLIAMS of Staunton, Mrs. Nan RIPPLE of this city and Mrs. Mary YORK of Terre Haute.  Funeral services will be held at the Christian church here and burial will be at Williamstown Cemetery.  (Editor’s note:  Williamstown Cemetery is now known as Billtown; Mrs. Williams is laid to rest beside her husband H.D. WILLIAMS, who died 4 Oct 1889, she was born 12 Feb 1824.)

27 Dec 1907:  Miss Maud GRIFFY, daughter of Jonathan GRIFFEY, departed this life this morning at their residence at the corner of Washington and Jackson Streets after an illness of four weeks of lung trouble.  Miss GRIFFY was born February 15, 1892, and at her death was 15 years, 10 months and 12 days of age.  She leaves to mourn her father, brothers, and scores of friends. (Editor’s note:  Johathan GRIFFY was the head of the household in the 1900 Census.  This family is laid to rest in the Cottage Hill Cemetery:  John GRIFFY 1857 –1932; Mattie J. GRIFFY, his wife 1868-1906; daughter, Maud, and son Claude M 1897 – 1918.)

30 Dec 1907:  Sunday evening James BOUCHER died at his home at 703 West Church Street, from general debility.  The deceased was 72 years old, and has lived for many years in Brazil, a great many years of which he was employed in a responsible position on the C. & E.I Railroad.  He was born in County Clare, Ireland, but came to this city when a small boy.  He was married to Matilda WEST, of Staunton, in 1864, and to this marriage nine children came as a blessing.  Seven of this number survive the father, as does also the faithful wife.  These are Henry and Alfred BOUCHER, of Terre Haute; Mrs. E. L. HUTCHINSON, Mrs. Albert SCOTT, Mrs. J.R. BROWN and Miss Alice BOUCHER and John BOUCHER, of Brazil.  James BOUCHER was one of the most highly esteemed citizens of the city.  He was a quiet man, a kind and generous father and husband, a generous neighbor, and possessed of many virtues necessary in the really good citizen.  The funeral will occur from the Catholic Church.  Interment in Cottage Hill Cemetery.

 (Editor’s Note:  There is a BOUCHER stone in the Cottage Hill Cemetery with these names: Margaret, Katherine, John, and James A. (but the death date does not match). The mother, Matilda BOUCHER, was from Staunton and James BOUCHER, the father, was born in Ireland. –- This additional information was taken from the funeral home card file in our library, which is an excellent source of  information.)

1 Jan 1908:  This morning at the home, 13 North Atlantic Street, occurred the death of Minnie STUNKARD, the young wife of Joseph STUNKARD, after a lingering illness of tuberculosis.  Mrs. STUNKARD was 22 years, 2 months and 23 days old and was well and favorably known and highly respected.  Those surviving are the husband and one sister, Mrs. Walter MORRIS, of Brazil, besides many relatives and friends. The remains will be removed to the residence of John STUNKARD and wife on West National Avenue, where the funeral will occur.

1 Jan 1908:  Talbert Leon, the two weeks old son of Robert J. SNYDER and wife, died this morning at 4 o’clock of inanition (Editor’s note: inanition is defined as “failure to survive.”)  The remains will be shipped to Limedale tomorrow morning; interment at Mt. Hebron Cemetery.

3 Jan 1908:  The TIMES  misunderstood the name of the Italian killed at Perth yesterday, in taking the name over the telephone.  The man’s name was Louis DELFE, and he was 31 years old.  The man, who leaves a wife and family, was working on the Big Four roadbed at Perth about 7:30 o’clock yesterday morning, when in some unknown manner he got in front of a west bound gravel train going by.  No one seems to know just how the accident happened.  DELFE was terribly injured and died within one hour after the accident…. Dr. YOUNG, coroner, held an investigation about noon yesterday.  The man is said to have been of superior intelligence and one of the best blacksmiths in the country, having worked for several years in the great Kruff gun works in Germany.  He was well liked in Perth.

16 Jan 1908:  The infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Orrie LAYMON died at their home on McGuire Street yesterday afternoon of inanition.  Interment took place at the Hill Cemetery.

28 Jan 1908:  D. A. ORMAN, formerly a resident of this county now of Terre Haute died today at noon at his residence at that place.  He was 70 years old.  Mr. ORMAN is well known in this city, and his many friends will be grieved to hear of his death.  The funeral will occur Friday afternoon from the residence, 709 South Seventh Street.

Mrs. Peacie WALKER, wife of W. J. WALKER, died today at 12 o’clock after an illness of several months of a complication of diseases, aged 49 years.  She leaves a husband, two sons, one daughter, four brothers and one sister.  The funeral services will be held Friday morning from the Bee Ridge Church with interment in Sampson Cemetery.

3 Feb 1908:  Joseph MODESITT, son of Mrs. Mary MODESITT, of this city, was instantly killed Saturday morning at town of Coal Bluff, on the Big Four Railroad track, by falling under a freight train, the wheels passing over his body, badly mangling it.  MODESITT was employed as brakeman on the road and was in the act of boarding his train when his foot slipped, and he fell upon the track.  His remains were taken to his home in Terre Haute. Prior to moving to Terre Haute MODESITT resided in Brazil and was a member of the fire department for a number of years. 

4 Feb 1908:  Mrs. M. L. HERON, who was believed to have been the oldest resident of Brazil, and one of the very oldest in the county, died at her home at No. 523 North Walnut Street, of old age and general debility.  While Mrs. HERRON has lived in this city but six or seven years, she was known by a large number of people.  There was a strong affection between the deceased and the members of her family, and every year the mother and grandmother’s birthdays were celebrated with a big family dinner at which members of the family were present usually to the number of almost one hundred.  The deceased was 93 years and 7 months old and was one of the finest characters in this city.  Despite her great age, she retained full possession of her faculties and was indeed was an interesting personage (Editor’s note: dictionary defines ‘personage’ as “a person, especially one of importance or distinction”).  She leaves five daughters and three sons, beside a large number of grandchildren and great grandchildren.  The funeral will occur at the late family home, where the services will be conducted by Rev. J. N. GREENE, pastor of the First M. E. Church and Rev. L. C. BENTLEY, former pastor, but now at Indianapolis.  (Editor’s note:  By the time the M. L. HERON name had made its way to the Clay County Genealogy Library, the second R had been added in HERRON.  It took some hunting to learn the M. stood for Margaret, and her maiden name was ARCHERD.  She was the widow of James HERRON; they had arrived in Terre Haute, Indiana, in 1838 by boat from the state of Ohio.  James then walked to Vincennes to the land office to enter ¼ section of land near Cory, Indiana.  They had 11 children; Margaret celebrated her 90^th birthday on 26 June 1904 with 70 children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren present, and 20 absent.)

7 Feb 1908:  Althea Gertrude JAMES, the one-year-old daughter of J. P. JAMES and wife died last evening at the home of the child’s grandparents, L D. ROBERTS and wife, 523 South Grant Street after a brief illness of intermittent fever.  The funeral services will occur at the ROBERTS’ home Saturday, after which the remains will be laid to rest in the Cottage Hill Cemetery.  (Editor’s notes:  The Cottage Hill Cemetery stone gives, 11 mo. & 13 da. for her age.  Her parents were James P. 1880-1947 & L. Mabel 1887-1952 JAMES.)

7 Feb 1908:  This morning when Mrs. George KERNS, residing at Middlebury, awoke and tried to arouse her husband, she was horrified to find him dead.  The body was cold, indicating that the man had died early in the night and that she had slept for hours beside a corpse.  Dr. YOUNG, County Coroner, was summoned and at once went to Middlebury, where he held an inquest.  There seems to be no doubt that the man died from heart disease.  KERNS was a laborer and was 46 years old.  He leaves a wife and five children.  (Editor’s note: The library contains little information for the family name of KERNS.  In the Birth Index book are two listings:  male b. 25 Feb 1895; female b. 1 Jan 1898.  If you have additional information on this family, please contact someone at the library.)

10 Feb 1908:  Mrs. Lucy BROWNLEE, wife of John BROWNLEE, died Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at her home two and one half miles south of Staunton.  The deceased was a daughter of John HENDRIX and lived for many years in this city.  Mrs. BROWNLEE was a woman of many virtues, kind, generous, thoughtful, and good.  She was well known in Brazil and had many friends here who will truly mourn her loss.

10 Feb 1908:  Robert VANCE, aged 63 years, died at the home of S.B. RILEY, on Jackson Street, after a long illness, from a complication of diseases.  Mr. VANCE was a single man and has resided in Brazil for many years.  He was a veteran of the war of the rebellion and was also a pensioner.  For many years he served in the capacity of constable in Brazil, and was well and favorably known here. He formerly resided in Connersville, where the body will be taken tomorrow.

17 Feb 1908:  Last evening at the home of his parents, 541 East Jackson Street, occurred the death of William ANDERSON, colored.  The deceased has suffered for many months and died from lung trouble, his age was 20 years, 4 months, and 14 days.  Those who survive him are the mother and stepfather, Mr. & Mrs. Wm. MINOA, at whose home the death occurred,; he is also survived by 7 sisters and 2 brothers.  The funeral will take place at the Baptist Church on East Jackson Street, Rev. WATSON officiating, after which the remains will be laid to rest in Cottage Hill Cemetery.

 27 Feb 1908:  At 12:35 o’clock yesterday at his late residence in Harmony, occurred the death of James DUNN.  Mr. DUNN had been in poor health for many months and died from a complication of diseases.  The deceased was born in England in 1850 and was past 57 years old when the end came.  Mr. DUNN has spent the greater part of his life in this country and was well and favorably known.

Close this window to return to the website