James F. Ashbrook Former Resident of Mattoon Killed Saturday Morning Near His Home North of Lerna — Funeral Will Be Held This Afternoon From Family Residence With Burial At Old Bethel Cemetery
James Ashbrook, a former resident of Mattoon, was instantly killed Saturday morning, by being struck by a falling tree near his home in Pleasant Grove township. The accident occurred upon the Harmon farm adjoining the Ashbrook farm.
Mr. Ashbrook, with his son, Earl Ashbrook, Cleo Harmon and Alta Pearson had gone to the woods on the Harmon farm to cut a bee tree. The tree when felled was split about twelve feet from the ground and after the honey had been removed from the tree and carried away Mr. Ashbrook returned to cut down the remaining portion of the tree.
Only one blow of an ax was struck by Mr. Ashbrook when the trunk without warning broke loose and fell striking the unfortunate man squarely on the head and left breast. His breast was crushed, one leg was broken and he was otherwise bruised. The other men in the party hastened to the relief of the injured man, but he was dead when picked up.
Coroner McClelland of Charleston was notified of the death and went to Lerna to conduct an inquest. The evidence was substantially as told above and a verdict of “death by accident as result of being caught by a falling three” was reached by the jury.
The deceased was one of the best known men in Coles county and for many years lived near Loxa, his birthplace. A few years ago he came to Mattoon to engage in the grocery business on Charleston avenue at the location now occupied by the Gannawaystore between Sixteenth and Seventeenth streets. After a few months he sold the store and went back to his farm near Lerna.
He was 54 years of age and leaves a widow and two children, Earl Ashbrook and Miss Alma Ashbrook and one brother, William Ashbrook near Montgomery station, south of Mattoon.
The funeral will be held at 2 o’clock this afternoon from the family residence, with the services conducted by Rev. J. G. Sawin. The burial will be made in Old Bethel cemetery.
Source/Notes
I’m not sure where I got this from. James was the husband of the daughter of the brother of Susan Harmon Schlotman. He might have also been a relative, as the Ashbrooks and Herman/Harmon family seems to have intermarried in Ohio quite a bit.