Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Mead, James May 9, 1900
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Nan Wheaton wheaton1624@yahoo.com October 5, 2016, 11:02 pm

Ionia Sentinel - Thursday, May 10, 1900

                               LIFE WAS A BURDEN.
                JAMES MEAD FOUND DEAD ON THE PERE MARQUETTE
Railroad Track Near Orleans Center - He Had Been Absent From Ionia Many Years 
and Only Recently Returned - Made A Bed Of Leaves in the Ditch and Then Laid 
Down to Die.

It was something like 15 years ago that James Mead left Ionia, to return for 
the first time last February. For three weeks he has not been working, but has 
been spending most of his time in the vicinity of the prison depot and around 
the railroads. 

At about 7 o'clock last evening Sheriff Moon was notified by telephone that a 
section gang had found a dead man near the Pere Marquette track a mile and a 
half south of Orleans center. The sheriff notified Coroner Cook and they drove 
there at once. Arriving at Orleans a justice of the peace was holding an 
inquest at the depot. The sheriff at once recognized the body as that of Mead. 

The man it is thought was in a measure demented, and had practically starved to 
death. A bag that had contained crackers and cheese was found in his clothes, 
but little else. He had made a bed in the ditch by the side of the track with 
leaves for a pillow, and here he died. It is supposed he was so weak that he 
could not get up, and simply waited for death.

His father will be remembered as James Mead, now dead. The family for years has 
lived at 329 Welton street, where he has an aged mother and two brothers, John 
Mead, who is well known in Ionia and has long been a faithful railroad employee 
and section foreman and Michael Mead. Mrs. David Kinney is also a sister of 
deceased. 

Relatives recently applied to the sheriff for an investigation as to the mental 
condition of the man. He was induced to go to the jail where an examination was 
considered. In conversation with Deputy Fred Smith he said he had been working 
around Manistee, but was not feeling well and had decided not to work. The 
proceeding undoubtedly frightened him for since that time he has not been 
around home, though he spent most of his time there before that and for a time 
worked with the section force on the railroad.

Tuesday the superintendents of the poor were applied to and it had been decided 
to make application to the probate court for his care. The man was 34 years of 
age and he was a mere skeleton, nothing but skin and bones. His death under the 
circumstances is not surprising.

Mr. Allured went to Orleans yesterday and brought the remains home, and the 
funeral will be held from the Catholic church. 

Additional Comments:
Mt. Olivet cemetery #OP-181

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