Friday, August 17, 2012

Parker, Elijah 1881-1936 Commits Suicide Garrattsville Obituary

Parker, Elijah 1881-1936 Garrattsville Obituary

Elijah Parker, 55, Commits Suicide

New Lisbon Farmer, Who Accidentally Shot Wife,
Ends Life With Shotgun

Melancholy since he accidentally shot and fatally wounded his wife two weeks ago, Elijah Parker, 55, committed suicide in the barn on his farm at New Lisbon yesterday morning at 7 o'clock.
Mr. Parker shot himself with a double-barrelled shotgun. He evidently placed the gun near the right side of his head and pulled the trigger with his foot. The charge blew off the right side of his head.
Dr. B. F. Bishop of Garrattsville, coroner of Otsego county, investigated. Dr. Bishop said it was a case of suicide. No notes were left by the victim.
Mr. Parker had been depressed since he accidentally shot his wife Sunday, November 8. She was struck in the abdomen by a bullet from a .22 calibre rifle, which her husband was about to use to fell a hen for Sunday dinner. The bullet pierced the intestines and she died the following day in the Bassett hospital at Cooperstown.
Mr. Parker's housekeeper, Mrs. Crandall, discovered the body when he did not return to breakfast. He arose as usual and went to the barn to do the morning chores, but when she received no answer to several calls, Mrs. Crandall investigated and found his body, slumped down in the hay in front of the cows.
The body was removed to the Houk funeral home at Edmeston, where funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Rev. R. E. Snethens, pastor of the Edmeston Baptist church, will officiate, and interment will be in the family plot of Union cemetery at Edmeston.
Mr. Parker was born August 28, 1881, on the Parker homestead, near Garrattsville, the youngest son of Elisha and Marion (Grouse) Parker. He married Irene D. Pudney of Pittsfield August 25, 1907. Most of their married life had been spent in the vicinity of New Lisbon. He was a man widely known and highly esteemed.
Surviving are three brothers, Elisha Parker of Hartwick, Fred Parker of Wingdale and David Parker of New Lisbon; two sisters, Mrs. William Clark of Milford and Mrs. Bert Bailey of Binghamton; and several nieces and nephews.

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