Posted on: Hancock Co. Il Obituaries Forum Board URL: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Il/HancockObits?read=194 Surname: Bailey, Belknap, Boston, Brown, Clark, Egbers, Galloway, Griffin, Grove, Hendricks, Johnson, Langley, Meaux, Moore, Mosley, Munson, Neill, Roath, Webber ------------------------- The Carthage Gazette Carthage, Illinois Friday June 27, 1930 Page 1 Column 5 Grove - Griffin Rev. H. C. Reichel officiated at a pretty wedding Monday evening when Mrs. Mary E. Grove became the bride of Mr. Homer T. Griffin of Plymouth. The marriage was held at the bride's home on Scofield St., the single ring ceremony being used. The room was daintily decorated with red roses and snowballs. The bride wore tan flat crepe trimmed with georgette and lace, with accessories to match. Professor and Mrs. H. L. Klingbeil acted as witnesses. After the wedding, light refreshments were served. Mrs. Grove has lived in or near Carthage all of her life. She has a son, Lawrence, in the U. S. navy; a son Bennie at home and Mrs. Joseph Neill living at Stillwell. Mr. Griffin is a resident of Plymouth and has a son, Reed, living in Plymouth, and daughter, Iva, at home. The bride's home here in Carthage will not be closed until fall. Mr. and Mrs. Griffin will be at home to their many friends after June 27th at Mr. Griffin's farm home in Plymouth. ----------------------- The Carthage Republican Carthage, Illinois Wednesday January 21, 1953 Page 7 Column 2 Mary Ellen Griffin Dies Near Plymouth Mrs. Mary Ellen Griffin, lifelong resident of Hancock County died Friday night at her home six miles northwest of Plymouth. Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at 2 in the Cookson funeral home, Rev. Arthur McKinley, officiating. Burial was in Rosemont cemetery. Mrs. Griffin, a daughter of Isaac and Armoretti Munson Langley, was born in Hancock county, Oct. 17, 1886 and was married to Alva Groves, Jan. 28, l904. Following his death, she was married to Homer Griffin on June 6, 1936. Mr. Griffin died two years ago. A sister, two brothers and two half brothers also preceded her in death. She was a member of the Methodist church. Surviving are two sons, Lawrence at home and Benjamin of Basco; a daughter, Mrs. J. C. Neill of Stillwell; a granddaughter whom she reared, Betty Grove Clark; three grandsons and a sister, Mrs. Charles Boston of Keokuk, Ia. ---------------------- Notes: Alva Groves is incorrect. Elzie Benton Grove is the correct name. "Following his death ...." is incorrect. Elzie died four years after Homer and Mary were married. -------------------------- The Hancock County Journal Carthage, Illinois Thursday January 22, 1953 Page 9 Column 8 Funeral Service for Mrs. Mary Griffin Held Last Monday Funeral services for Mrs. Mary Ellen Griffin, 66, of Plymouth, were held Monday afternoon in the Cookson funeral home, Plymouth. Rev. Arthur McKinley officiated and burial was in Rosemont cemetery near Plymouth. Mrs. Griffin died Friday night in her home northwest of Plymouth following a stroke suffered Thursday night. A daughter of Isaac and Amoretti Munson Langley, she was born in Hancock county Oct. 17, 1886. She married Elzy Groves Jan. 28, 1904. Following his death she married Homer Griffin June 6, 1936, and he died two years ago. A sister, two brothers and two half-brothers also preceded her in death. She was a member of the Methodist church. Surviving are two sons, Lawrence Groves at home and Benjamin Groves of Basco; a daughter, Mrs. J. C. Neill of Stillwell; a granddaughter, Mrs. Betty Groves Clark of Colmar, whom she reared; three grandsons, and a sister, Mrs. Charles Boston of Keokuk. ----------------------- Notes: Elzy Groves is incorrect. Elzie Benton Grove is the correct name. "Following his death ...." is incorrect. Elzie died four years after Homer and Mary were married. - ------------------------------- Hancock County Historical Society Carthage, Illinois Siegfried XIX Page 187 GEORGE BAILEY COMMITS SUICIDE BY HANGING SELF Worry Over Impending Lawsuit Thought to Have Caused Prominent Carthage Man to Take Own Life Body Found Suspended in Garage Worry over an impending lawsuit is thought to have been the cause of the suicide of George W. Bailey, 77, in a barn at the rear of his residence on East Walnut street late Friday night or early Saturday morning. Suicide by hanging was the verdict returned by the coroner's jury that conducted the investigation in the Ostrich Funeral Home Saturday afternoon. The body was discovered suspended from a rope in the barn, used of a garage, at the rear of the residence by Mrs. Mary Groves, housekeeper for Mr. Bailey. Sheriff J. E. Brown, deputies Mosley and Galloway and Gay Egbers, a neighbor, together with Coroner Geo. T. Moore were hurriedly summoned and the body was cut down and removed to the Ostrich Funeral Home. Letters found in the room of the dead man led to the belief that the suicide was the result of worry over the lawsuit filed against him for the sum of $15,000. This suit was brought by Elzie Benton Groves and charged the alienation of the affections of Groves' wife, Mrs. Mary Groves. Mr. Bailey, a well known and highly respected citizen of Carthage, would have reached his 77 birthday in August. For many years he had resided on a farm near Adrian, moving to Carthage upon retiring from active life where he occupied a large and beautiful home. Following the death of his wife four years ago he took the Groves family, husband, wife and two children, into his home. Some trouble, the nature of which was not disclosed, soon arose. That there was an association between the filing of the suit and the act of self-destruction is generally admitted. / . . . . Suit Filed Thursday. The suit was filed in the circuit court of Hancock County Thursday. Although Mr. Bailey left no message giving explicit reasons for his act it is the general impression that he brooded over the publicity of the suit and the circumstances attending it. A man of high standing in community and church he was extremely sensitive regarding the publicity which was sure to follow no matter what the merits and outcome of the suit might be and in his desperation took his own life in order to end the worries to which he was subjected. At the inquest held by Coroner Geo. T. Moore and a jury composed of George Johnson, Scott Belknap, Andrew Moore, Joseph Boston, John B. Hendricks and D. D. Meaux the following testimony was heard: Mrs. Groves Testifies. Mrs. Mary Groves being duly sworn said: "I have kept house five years for Mr. Bailey. My husband and I have always had trouble. I have three children. I keep Lawrence and Blanche at Mr. Bailey's with me. About five years ago he (the husband) would not work and I had to take in washing and roomers to make a living. I bought five hundred pounds of popcorn and popped it and had Blanche sell it around town. He started suit against Mr. Bailey in 1925. I have never left Mr. Bailey's in five years. I just furnished the food and he the house, lights and fuel for his board. He was sitting in the room we call the sun parlor, reading, when Mr. Mosley came with the summons. I went to the door when Mr. Mosley came and I went and told Uncle George that Mr. Mosley wanted to see him. He said, 'lets go outside' and he told me what Mr. Mosley wanted. It grieved him so when he told and said everything would come out alright — to trust in God — the innocent ones had to suffer for what the bad ones had done; Mr. Groves, my husband, had threatened him ten thousand times — he said he would kill the whole bunch of us. I heard Uncle George up about half past twelve, shortly after the clock struck. I heard him in the bath room. I never heard him go back to his room. I found him at 5:30. I first went to Lawrence's room to wake him up to go to work and I supposed Uncle George was asleep. As I passed his room I saw he had already gotten up. His dresser drawer was open and several papers lying on the dresser and I hollered to Lawrence that something had happened to Uncle George. I went through the basement, shop and then to the garage and I did not see anything of him. I was right under him before I saw him. I sent Lawrence to the sheriff to get the coroner. Then I called Mr. Will Bailey and Mrs. Roath and went home and sat down. I don't think Elzie and Mr. Bailey had any trouble. I never heard of him accusing Mr. Bailey. He most always was mad at Lawrence." (Signed) Mrs. Mary Groves. Lawrence Groves being duly sworn said: As long as I can remember father kept threatening mother. My father was not very good to me. My mother went to work for Mr. Bailey. Mr. Bailey always treated all of us like a father. When I went there I started in school and did odd jobs and worked in the summer and I did all I could to support the family. My father was not a good provider not as much as he should. I always turned in my money to my mother. He never took any of my money but threatened to. He tried to choke me Thursday evening; June 23, 1927. He never fought my mother at any time but he was not a good provider. I am 18 years old. He never turned in his money to mother at any time. He left home about 1925 and put up at Arthur Mosley. It was hard for mother to keep going if she had not gone to Mr. Bailey. He always kept the pocket book till we moved in town. I never did give him any money. I don't think it was any fault of mother that mother and father did not get along. When father and mother were living together mother worked hard. When we moved in to Mr. Bailey's he got so he would not work and support the family. He left on his own accord. He did not say what he was leaving for but got to write a couple of letters for him. I don't know exactly what was in the letters but he asked $3500 in three or four days. I don't know of any ground he should ask $3500 for. He never got the $3500. That was in 1905. (Signed) LAWRENCE GROVES Given under my hand and seal at Carthage, this 27th day of June, A. D., 1927. GEORGE T. MOORE, Coroner of Hancock County, Illinois. / . . . . Services Yesterday. Mr. Bailey is survived by three sons and two daughters. The sons are William Bailey of Bushnell, Everett Bailey of Adrian and Dr. Homer Bailey of Oklahoma City. The daughters are Mrs. J. S. Webber of Ottumwa, Iowa and Mrs. Justus Roath of Adrian. He was a member of the Methodist church and interested in all of its activities. Funeral services were held Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock at the Methodist church. Services were conducted by Rev. J. T. Dodds, of Monmouth, with Rev. Arthur Cates, assisting. Burial at Moss Ridge was in charge of Hancock Lodge No. 20 A. F. & A. M., of which the deceased was a member. Link: Bryant Genealogy URL: <http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=bryant>