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Shively Family

Curtis Henry Shively

Born - April 10, 1888

Bourbon Township, Marshall County, Indiana

Died - July 4, 1926

Bourbon Township, Marshall County, Indiana

 

 

 

CURTIS SHIVELY KILLS HIMSELF

USES A SHOT GUN AND LEAVES NO EXPLANATION

 

Curtis Shively, son of Rev. and Mrs. John W. Shively is dead!

He committed suicide last Sunday afternoon about three o'clock,

 by shooting himself with a 12-gauge shot gun, while about 100 rods away

in the sugar grove of his father's home, northeast of Bourbon about 6 miles.

 

As near as anyone knows the facts are about as follows:

He was at his parents home, that morning, and seemed in the usual spirits.

 He was of a jolly disposition and no indication of the act he was to take was

even hinted at. He left shortly after dinner. Presumably he went to the home

 of his brother, Rufus Shively, a short distance west of Millwood Central office

where he opened a screen to one of the windows, as his brother and family

were away for the day, and entered and secured the gun and shells. The gun

was a "pump-gun" and was his own and he had loaned it to his nephew some

months ago, as Curtis rarely ever used a gun. He returned home. On returning home

he stepped into the home where his father was reading and his mother was

 lightly sleeping, walked through the the room but said nothing to them, and went out.

Nothing more was seen of him until John Shively, another nephew, and son of Ira

and Luella Shively went back to the woods to get the cows. Ira and his wife live

near the home of their parents and farm the latter's place. John soon came running

back, filled with excitement incident to a boy of 12 years of age, telling his other

brothers and sister that a man was sleeping on a stump at the sugar camp.

He was asked who it was, but was unable to state, as he only got with in about

three or four rods of the body of his uncle. The children then went and told their

grandfather and he joined them and went to the woods, only to find his son dead.

 

Curtis had seated himself on a low stump, his back leaning against an old evaporator

that had been used in times past in the camp. The evaporator was situated so that it made

a splendid rest for his back. He spread his feet apart, placed the butt of the gun on the

ground between them, stuck the muzzle of it to the left side of his face, holding the gun

with his left hand. He had a stick in his right hand when found, indicating he had pushed

the trigger with the stick. When the gun went off, tearing a big hole in the side of his face,

he slumped over a little, but did not fall from his sitting position. The right hand still held

the gun, the left hand the stick, giving unmistakable evidence of how the act was done.

Mr. Shively told his son, Ira, and he in turn called neighbors, many of whom hastened

to the spot. Williams & Son, of this place, were notified to bring the coroner and get

the body for preparation for burial, which they did and the body was brought to the

morgue and prepared.

 

As far as the parents and his brothers and sisters know, there was no particular

reason for the act. He had not threatened to take his life except, as far as they

know in a joking way. Once he remarked to his brother Ira, and family, that he

believed he'd go and jump in the lake.

 

But, to friends in town, here, he is said to have threatened to take it. However, as

he was of a jovial, joking disposition, no thought of such an act was entertained by them.

He was a bachelor. When chided, good naturedly about not being married, he often

replied " that  those he wanted he could not get and those he could get he did not want",

so he remained single.

 

Sometime during the afternoon the children of Ira and Luella Shively heard a shot,

but thought it was neighbor children firing fire-crackers.

That was, doubtless, the report of the shot gun that they heard.

 

Curtis had been working at a factory in South Bend for some time, but of late was

employed on the sewer being put in on the south side of town.

 

Beside his parents, who are prominent and most excellent people, he leaves

brothers as follows: Ira and Rufus, of this vicinity, Lewis of New York State,

 and their sister, Mrs. Raymond (Clara) Sponseller.

 He was 38 years of age last April 10th, and in good health.

The funeral was held yesterday afternoon, at two o'clock,

 at the home, and was largely attended.

 

 

 

Brother - Sylvester Shively

Born - July 15, 1875

Died - July 16, 1875

 

Brother - Ira Korneluis Shively

Born - April 27, 1877

Wife - Louella (Yarian) Shively

 

Brother -Louis Nealy  Shively

Born - May 28, 1881

Wife - Mary Louise (Hoover) Shively

 

Brother - Rufus Oscar Shively

Born - October 16, 1883

Wife - Martha Jane (Thomas) Shively

 

Sister - Mary Ann Shively

Born - February 17, 1890

Died - December 5, 1890

 

Sister - Clara Elizabeth (Shively) Sponseller 

Born - September 28, 1892

Husband - Raymond Roscoe Sponseller

 

 

Father - John W. Shively

Mother - Phrania (Foltz) Shively

 

 

 

 

 

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