Week 10: Worship (52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks)

Religion played an important role in the lives of many of our ancestors. Write about how a person's faith impacted their life, how an ancestor was involved with their church, or a discovery you've made in church records. Click here to check out all the themes for 2022.

I have taken a different spin on this. I have decided to select my 2nd great grandfather Myron O’Brion who took his own life over a difference of religious view between himself and his family. He was not a member of any church. My warning is that this subject matter is very sensitive, however I feel it is important to share, because depression is known to run in families and it’s all a part of life. A very sad part, indeed. 

Myron was born in 1835 in New York State, the son of John O’Brion and his wife Jane Margaret Kress. After Spending much of his childhood days in Dodge County, Wisconsin, he grew up and married Mary Goodwin, daughter of Thomas Goodwin and Jane Burns. She was also living in the same vicinity. After marriage, they moved to a new home in Fountain Prairie. The farm was located one and one-half miles northwest of Fall River. After living there twelve years, he moved to a farm in the Lost Lake area of Dodge County, Wisconsin. He lived there until his death on November 19, 1883. Mary also lived on the farm until her death on March 18, 1910. She was born January 1, 1839 in Ireland. Their children were: Mary Jane O’Brion, John, Henreitta Cora (my line), Jessica, Caroline, Alice, and Thomas.    

Randolph Radical, Columbia Co, Wisconsin - 27 Nov 1883    

SUICIDE. - On Tuesday p.m. last Justice Calkins, of this place, was called to hold a coroner's inquest upon the body of Myron O'Brien, found dead by the road side some four miles from his residence, in the town of Westford. The justice, accompanied by Dr. Bliss, went to O'Brien's house and a jury was convened the same evening, which rendered a verdict that the deceased came to his death from poison administered by his own hand. The facts as developed at the inquest are as follows: Mr. O'Brien left his home on Monday, on foot, stating that he was going to Columbus, and that his family would not see him again alive. His son accompanied him a mile or so, vainly trying to persuade him to return home. He arrived at Columbus and had his will drawn up by a lawyer, signed and duly attested. On Tuesday morning after procuring a bottle of whisky and a vial of strychnine, he started for home on foot. When found, the whisky bottle in his overcoat pocket was nearly empty and the strychnine bottle duly labeled was found in his bootleg, with about a teaspoonful of the powder taken out. The presumption is that on his way he had drank enough of the whisky to nerve himself up or craze him then added the strychnine and taken a last and fatal drink.   

Mr O'Brien was a farmer, some 60 years of age, supposed to be well to do and not a man of sufficiently in temperate habits to impel the commission of the act. he had been in a depressed mental condition for some days, induced, it is said by some temporary pecuniary trouble and a difference of religious views between himself and the family, they being Catholics, while he, we believe, was not a member of any church. His suicide is doubtless attributable to the combination of these causes.

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The distance between Lost Lake and Columbus is 12 miles. Even though the article states he was some 60 years of age, I have him as only 48. In the 1850 census, he is a 14-year-old boy and thus his birth year is pretty much accurate. His children at the time of his death ranged in age from 24 to 4 years old. His eldest son John was 23, most likely the son mentioned in the article. 

Myron’s mother, Jane Margaret Kress died the following summer on Aug 19, 1884. I feel sorry for her having to live through such as sadness. Myron’s wife, Mary Goodwin lived 27 more years and died on Mar 18, 1910 on the farm. 

Later that year (1910), the farm was sold at public auction.