Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Renehan, Michael December 8, 1895
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Patricia Currigan currigan1932@concast.net November 18, 2024, 11:19 am

Lake Odessa Scrapbook - December 1895

Michael Renehan died Sunday morning, about six o'clock from the effects of a 
dose of aconite, taken presumably with suicidal intent the evening before. The 
first that was noticed that anything was wrong was soon after his son George, 
came home from a neighbor's,had better see if anything was the matter with his 
father, as he seemed to be breathing in a labored manner.George went to him, and 
found him in an unconscious condition. This was about 11 o'clock. He went at 
once for Seymour Bagley and other near neighbors, and came to Lake Odessa, a 
distance of four miles, for a doctor. Dr.Horner soon arrived, and about the 
first thing he wanted to know was what the patient had been taking. None of the 
family were aware that he had taken anything of a harmful nature. Mrs. Renehan 
remembered that she had heard him rummaging around the pantry among the bottles, 
but did not know what his object was, or that he had taken anything. A search 
among the bottles revealed the fact that a bottle partly filled with aconite had 
been emptied. This had been got for horse medicine about three weeks before, and 
after being partially used had been set back of the other bottles by George. The 
bottle also was found out of place where it had been placed by George. Aconite 
poisoning agreed with the symptoms, and no doubt remained of the cause of the 
patient's condition. Dr. Russ was sent for later and his opinion coincided with 
that of Dr.Horner. Under the circumstances it was not thought necessary to have 
a coroner's inquest. Mr. Renehan was 78 years of age and came from Ireland to 
North Plains, near Hubbardston about half a century ago. His first wife died 
there, and over thirty years ago he married the woman he now leaves a widow. He 
lived on what is known a the Foreman Sloan farm, near Tremayne's Corners, for 
twenty years, but for the  past sixteen years has lived on the farm in Odessa 
where he died. He leaves two children, both by his first wife, one a daughter 
married and living at Hubbardston, and his son George before mentioned, who 
lived at home.Mr.and Mrs. Renehan were greatly esteemed in the neighborhood, and 
the event was a great surprise to the neighborhood.They had lived most happily 
together, and there had been no intimidation to the family that there was any 
special source of trouble which would lead to so rash an act. It is said, 
however , on good authority, that he was quite deeply involved in debt, and it 
is probable that brooding over his financial troubles, in connection with the 
infirmities of advanced age, taking nobody into his confidence, inducted a 
morbid mental condition akin to insanity. The funeral occurred Tuesday. The 
deceases was interred in the cemetery at Ionia.

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