Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Higbee, Flora B. (LaDow) September 28, 1894
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Nan Wheaton wheaton1624@yahoo.com April 21, 2017, 8:44 pm

Ionia Sentinel - Thursday, Oct. 4, 1894

                             AN UNFORTUNATE DEATH. 
            Mrs. F. G. Higbee Takes Her Life at Her Parents Home

Mrs. Fred G. HIgbee of Belding, nee Flora B. LaDow, daughter of Jacob LaDow of 
Ionia, committed suicide at 3 o'clock a.m. Saturday by severing a jugular vein 
at the neck pressing the point of a razor clear through to the neck bone. 

Mr. and Mrs. Higbee live in Belding, and have a child, a boy, four months' old. 
About a week after his birth, Dr. Tuttle noticed that Mrs. Higbee was not in 
her right mind. She has been cared for at her home in Belding and at Mr. 
LaDow's since that time. She had been at her father's several times and came 
back here from Belding, with her husband and child at 5 o'clock last night. 

The baby was sick and Mrs. Higbee and her mother, Mrs. LaDow remained down 
stairs to care for it. Messrs. Higbee and LaDow sleeping up stairs. At about 
three o'clock this morning, Mr. LaDow was awakened and heard his wife singing 
and talking to the baby.

Having had his sleep out, he went down stairs and remarked that he didn't see 
Flora. His wife said she had just got up having been sleeping on a couch and 
dressed and gone out doors. Mr. LaDow took the child and told her to follow her 
for it would not do to leave her alone, she went to the woodshed door and 
called but received no response.

Mr. LaDow took a lantern and went out to the barn and other buildings but could 
not find Mrs. Higbee. He returned and aroused Mr. Higbee and they went out and 
found her under an apple tree near by. She had found Mr. LaDow's razor, which 
was in the cupboard, behind some dishes and the deed was done in a very short 
time, she not having been gone over ten minutes. She died almost instantly, 
bleeding to death. 

The razor was found in the grass half way open just as she had dropped it, but 
is not known how she discovered its whereabouts. The key to the cupboard was 
found in her pocket and she had relocked the door.

The neighbors were called and the remains carried into the  house and D.Z. 
Brooks notified Coroner Williams, who with Frank Faulkner drove to Ionia 
township. N.K. Brooks, F.W. Faulkner, D.Z. Brooks, Henry Thomas, C.B. Foreman 
and J.P. Dikeman were sworn and rendered a verdict that she came to her death 
by her own hand.

Mrs. Higbee was 30 years of age and leaves her husband and one child. The 
remains were cared for by Mr. Allured and the funeral was held at 10 o'clock 
a.m. Monday, from the residence in Ionia township. Interment in Highland Park.

The funeral services of Mrs. Fred Higbee were largely attended from the 
residence of Jacob LaDow, three miles north of the city, at 10 o'clock Monday. 
A large number attended from Belding including about 20 members of the 
Independent order of Foresters, No. 572, of Belding.

The services were conducted by Rev. W.H. Scott, music being furnished by Miss 
Pullman and Miss Eva Nichols.

The casket was covered with flowers. The pall bearers were members of the 
Foresters of Belding of which Mr. Higbee was a member.

The remains were interred in Highland Park cemetery.



Additional Comments:
Age: 30
Funeral: Monday, 2 October 1894
Highland Park cemetery #6-75

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