Barr - Benjamin Franklin
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal, 15 April 1898
Benjamin Franklin Barr died Monday night about ten o'clock of heart disease, the injuries he sustained Monday morning not being responsible in any way so Dr. Ensminger states, for his demise. The funeral occurred on Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock, the interment to take place at Oak Hill. Mr. Barr was the son of B. B. Barr and was born on Nov. 14, 1830 at Lancaster county, Penn., coming here with his parents when eight years old. Mr. Barr saw Crawfordsville grow from a town of open log houses to the city it now is. While a boy he endured many hardships Although be never married he was kind hearted and was of a pleasant disposition. He was the first of six children to go. Many times during his sickness he expressed a desire to go home to rest. His niece, Mrs. Youngblood, to whom he was very much attached, often talked to him of the beautiful city of God and requested him to prepare to meet his Lord and the loved ones gone before. Rev. R. D. Trick conducted the services at the home one mile north of the city. - thanks so much to Kim H for this one
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 15 April, 1898
About 8 o’clock Monday morning Ben Barr attempted to end his life by cutting his throat with a razor. He has been living for some time past with his niece, Mrs. Youngblood, at the old Barr homestead in the Valley, just beyond Sperry’s bridge. He always enjoyed vigorous health until recently when he developed symptoms of dropsy and heart disease and failed rapidly. He was finally obliged to remain propped up in a chair and suffered greatly from his ailments. Last Monday when Mrs. Youngblood was absent from the house he asked a little girl who was in the room with him to bring him the box containing his razor as he expected a young man to come very shortly to shave him. The child did as requested and was then sent from the room. When she had gone Mr. Barr tied the blade of the razor securely to the sheath so that it would not slip and then deliberately attempted to take his own life. He gave himself three ugly cuts across the throat but failed to cut deep enough to sever the jugular vein. The blood poured forth in a stream, however, and he thought that he had accomplished his purpose. When he thought the work complete he called as loudly as he could for Mrs. Youngblood. Mrs. Youngblood heard the cry and realized from the tone that something awful had occurred. She hastened in and found Mr. Barr bathed in blood. He stated that he had called her in order to tell her that he had done the work himself and that he was tired of living and wanted to die. Dr. Ensminger and James Barr, the brother of the victim, were hastily summoned and every attention was given. Dr. Ensminger states that the wounds will not necessarily prove fatal but that the end is not far off in any event as disease has already rendered death the matter of only a few days or weeks at the outside
(thanks you S - you rock and ya' know it :)