Obit of John P. Hansen 1897
From the Chatsworth Plaindealer
Chatsworth,Livingston,Illinois
JOHN P. HANSEN
JANNUARY 1, 1897
JOHN P. HANSEN SUICIDES
HANGS HIMSELF IN HIS BAKESHOP, WHILE TEMPORARILY INSANE
John P. Hansen, for twenty years one of Chatsworth's business men, was found dead in his bakeshop, in the basement under his bakery and grocery store, on Wednesday morning, where he had taken his own life by hanging. The body was discovered by his little fourteen year old son, Alvin, shortly before ten o'clock on Wednesday morning, and it is thought that the terrible act was committed between the hours of eight and nine o'clock. A double rope, one end of which was attached to an iron rod between the floor joists of the first story of the building, did the terrible work. The lower end of the rope was less than three feet above the basement floor, and when found the body inclined forward, resting upon the knees. John Hast, who has been assisting Mr. Hansen in the store, took the body down, but life was extinct. Coroner W. L. Slyder was notified and drove over from his home at Saunemin to hold the inquest. The following jury was empaneled; W.W. Sears, foreman; H.M. Bangs, Dr. G.T. Carson, Wm. G. Messler, R. Rumbold, Jas. Snyder. The circumstance surrounding the case, and Alvin Hansen, John Hast and Dr. T.C. Seright as witnesses were examined, and the verdict as given by the jury was that he "came to his death by strangulation, caused by hanging by his own hands while laboring under a tit of temporary insanity".
It had been noticed for some time by Mr. Hansen's friends that, at times, he appeared to be in a very nervous condition, and when talking on certain subjects seemed very much affected, and is reported to have entirely broken down and wept. His wife's poor health seemed to have worried him greatly and it was when talking on this subject that he had shown the most excitement and feeling. He left no word to relatives or friends in the shape of messages or otherwise.
John P. Hansen was born in Schiesvig, Holstein, in northern Denmark, February 26,1815. About twenty years ago he came to this place and opened a bakery, and by hard work, careful management and frugality, attained quite a considerable amout of property. He was married on January 16, 1879 to Martha Hast, the result of the union being four children, Henry, the eldest being departed this life in October, 1893. He leaves besides his bereaved wife, whose poor health makes her a confirmed invalid and almost totally blind, one son, Alvin, and two daughters, Nellie and Lizzie. He has a half-brother and a half-sister living in the old country, but Mr. Hansen was the only one of his father's family to come to America.
The funeral services wee held this morning from the family home, Rev. J. Alber officiating and the remains laid to rest in the Chatsworth cemetery.