Obit: Montgomery, Leonard (1874 - 1915)

Contact: Ann Stevens
Email: ann@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Montgomery, Holverson, Dickinson, Runnells, Mulvey

----Source: Neillsville Times (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 7/15/1915

Montgomery, Leonard (8 JAN 1874 - 7 Jul 1915)

Sometime last Wednesday afternoon Leonard Montgomery committed suicide while temporarily deranged, having taken his life by placing a shot gun at his forehead and pulling the trigger with a lath. His wife, upon returning from the Chautauqua at 5 o’clock in the afternoon, noticed that the cattle were still in the field, and suspicious that something was wrong, made a search for her husband and found him dead in the stall in the barn. Mr. Montgomery had been in poor health for some time and suffering from melancholia and there is no doubt but that his rash act was committed while he was insane.

Deceased was born to Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Montgomery in Jefferson County on Jan. 8, 1874. He grew to young manhood there and at the age of 18 went to New Richmond and learned the telegraph operators trade with his uncle. He went to Utah and took a position and while there he was taken with an attack of mountain fever, the effects of which were noted all through his later life. He was married to Miss Georgia Holverson at Los Angeles in June 1904, and to this union one son was born. Mr. Montgomery worked at his trade at various points in the west and two years ago owning to his failing health, bought the Crandall place just west of the river and took up farming. He was a well-educated man and had many excellent traits of character. He is survived by his wife and son, father and mother and the following brothers and sisters: Mrs. R. Dickinson of Eureka, Utah; Miss Nellie Montgomery of Remsen, N.Y.; Ralph of Sydney and Paul of Whitewater. Miss Montgomery, Paul and Ralph were here for the funeral which occurred Sunday afternoon. Others present from out of town were Alvin Runnells of Whitewater, Will Holverson of Barron County and Mr. and Mrs. Mulvey and daughter of St. Paul.