VanBuren - Martin
Source: Waveland Independent Waveland, Montgomery County, Indiana July 7, 1899
Martin VanBuren, a half crazy Irishman (sic- Van Buren is Dutch) 64 years old, living near Wesley, committed suicide by drinking laudanum Monday. - kbz
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 7 July 1899
Word comes from the Wesley neighborhood of the suicide of Martin Van Buren, an aged and eccentric character who made his home with W. R. Robinson. The old fellow took laudanum on Sunday afternoon, but his death did not occur until Monday afternoon. He had a Fourth of July funeral and one in accordance with his expressed wish.
Van Buren was 64 years old and in spite of the suggestion of his name was not a native of this country. He was born in Ireland and came here when quite young. For many years he had lived in the Wesley neighborhood and was known at times to be suffering from mental aberration. During the light of the moon he would not infrequently become quite demonstrative and it is related of him that he would sometimes fancy himself a rooster and climbing a tree would crow for hours. Still, in spite of this eccentric side of his character he was a valuable member of society, for he was a man scrupulously honest and industrious. He worked hard and served all men for whom he labored with as much devotion as though he were attending to business of his own. He lived for some time with Elijah Clore and also with Isaac Davis, being with Mr. Davis for eighteen years. Five years ago on July 4 he came to the home of Mr. Robinson and lived there until his death. On Sunday the old man, as was his custom in the summer time, went to the barn to sleep for a time in the hay. When at 6 o’clock he had not appeared someone went to the barn and found him unconscious with an empty bottle labeled laudanum at his side. He was carried to the house and tenderly cared for until he died. Pinned to his pantaloons was found a note, in which he stated that no one was to blame for his act and that he had always been treated kindly. He stated that he had always had a merry time on this earth and hoped that everyone else would have the same, closing his peculiar epistle with the words, “God be with you”. According to his expressed wish, he was buried in the family lot of Isaac Davis in the Wesley Cemetery, Mr. Robinson defraying the funeral expenses. -s