Obit of Joel PORTER (b.1795 CT d.1857 WI) Trenton, Dodge Co., WI ************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ Submitted by Bill Porter wwp@unique-software.com *************************************************************************** Obit of Joel PORTER (b.1795 CT d.1857 WI) Trenton, Dodge Co., WI Source 1: Newspaper Dodge County Citizen; Beaver Dam, WI Date: 1 December 1857 Page:? Column: 1 Reads as follows: Home Matters. Melancholy Suicide. We regret to have to record the melancholy fact, that Mr. Joel Porter, an old and highly respected citizen of Trenton, in this county, committed suicide on Thursday night last, by hanging himself. Mr. Porter was a farmer, a man of about 60 years of age, well to do in the world, and universally esteemed by his neighbors. As he had intimated nothing to create suspicion in the minds of his family concerning the act previous to his death, they are left entirely in the dark as to the immediate cause of it. We learn, however, from one of his neighbors that he had had some trouble about his pecuniary affairs of late which weighed heavily on his mind, and that during the week previous to his death he appeared quite gloomy and down spirited most of the time. The troubles referred to could not have resulted very disastrously to him at worst, if he had only borne up under them, for he is said to have been worth over $5000 over and above all demands against him. As we are told, however, the amount he feared he would lose, was quite large, and it is probable that the thoughts of it weighed so heavily upon his mind as to produce temporary insanity, and that while under the influence, he committed the fearful act. Source 2: Newspaper Horicon Argus Date: 4 December 1857 Page:? Column:? Reads as follows: Suicide. - JOEL PORTER, a gentleman some sixty years of age, living in the town of Trenton, this county, committed suicide on the 30th ult., by hanging himself with a rope. The old gentleman had endorsed heavily, and fearing he would have the amount to pay, put an end to his life. [Information in brackets added by the transcriber, William W. Porter on 9 May 2001. Joel is buried at the Trenton Cemetery in Dodge County, WI]