Obituary of John Speed WILSON, Crawford County, Illinois This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Jim Admire This obituary was sent to me. I have no connection to anyone listed herein or no further information about them. DEATH OF SPEED WILSON The announcement that the dead body of John Speed Wilson had been found in the river, near the Pueblo smelter, on Tuesday afternoon June 29, was a great shock to his many friends and relatives in this city. His body was found about 4 p.m. of that day, and he had evidently been dead several hours. Several wounds, probably caused by falling upon rocks, were upon his head and body, and the fact that his watch and a small amount of money were found upon his person precluded the idea of foul play, as he was not known to have an enemy in the world. His hat and some papers were afterwards found in the water, near the Fourth Street bridge, nearly a mile above were the body was found, and it is thought that his death must have occurred at or near that point. The coroner's jury rendered a verdict of accidental drowning, in accordance with all the facts which came to light. "Speed,," as he was generally known over the city , has been an employee of the post office for several years, and was also a deputy in the county clerks office at one time. and while of a very quiet and reserved disposition, had a large number of friends, and was considered a very capable and trustworthy man. He resigned his position of night clerk at the post office on the 15th of June, as it was wearing on his health, and for several days previous to his death had been making the Elk club rooms his headquarters, he being a member of that order, and he was last seen alive on the evening before his body was found. It is said that an employee at the pumping station of the south side water works, about a mile above the Fourth Street bridge, saw him pass there at about 9 o'clock Monday night. Mr. Wilson was born at Palestine, Ill., March 15, 1857, and was unmarried. He came to Pueblo about eighteen years ago, and has occupied several positions of trust ever since. His only near relatives in Colorado are his father, who resides at Beulah, and his brother, Paul Wilson of this city and Rush Wilson of the western part of this state. He was considered one of the most popular members of the Protective Order of Elks, under whose auspices his funeral was held on Thursday afternoon from the residence of his brother, Paul Wilson, in Fairmount Park, and that order, together with a large number of friends, testified their esteem by attending his remains to Riverside Cemetery. The exact cause of his death will probably never be ascertained, but he leaves behind him multitude of friends who will mourn his untimely loss. ***************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproducd in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. ***************************************************************** Contributed by: Jim Admire