Unusual causes of death

[JonathanC]

A Sad Accident.

On Saturday evening of last week Mr. Charles Crust and Miss Alice Hockridge, of East Brainerd, were united in marriage at the residence of the bride's parents, and on Monday they went to Mille Lacs Lake in company with Mr. Hockridge's family for a week's outing. The parties were stopping with Mr. Warren, and on Tuesday evening were enjoying themselves at the lake bathing, Mr. Crust being out some distance ahead of the others. His wife and companions saw him go out of sight under the water, but did not feel alarmed, as the lake was shallow at that point, they supposed. In a moment he came to the surface, but only for a second, and again disappeared. it was then that the truth flashed through their minds, Mr. Crust was drowning before their very eyes. A boat was put into use and the young man's body was found after an hour's search in fifteen feet of water. The accident was the result of cramps which must have taken the young man just as he walked into a deep hole. The body was brought to Brainerd on Wednesday and buried on Thursday, Rev. Treglawney, who but four days previous had performed the marriage ceremony, preaching the funeral sermon.

The case is as sad a one as has been brought to our notice in many days, and the young widow, who we understand was married on her fifteenth birthday, is almost distracted with grief.

The deceased was an employee of the Northern Pacific, and was highly esteemed by all his acquaintances. He was a brother of Edward Crust, his parents residing in England. The funeral services were largely attended, the fire department, of which he was a member turning out in uniform. (Brainerd Dispatch, 07 August 1891, p. 4, c. 5)

[Preraphaelite]

Hello all. I was the originator of this thread and, not having checked in on Rootschat for quite some time, am astonished by the amount of replies....and the many weird and wonderful (and very sad) ways in which people's ancestors have met their maker!

I am particularly surprised, in reading through all the posts, by how many times being "struck by lightning" has been mentioned as the cause of death. I had thought that this was an extremely rare occurrance (I work in an electricity museum, and we are sent details of any present day incidents).

I am also now eyeing my luminous watch with suspicion...   Thanks everyone! 

[suey]

Just to keep the ball rolling...

I have a lad who was killed 'by the accidental discharge of a gun with which his father was assisting him to climb a tree'

Later on his brother died from 'Mortification of the thigh', he was a farmer and I often wonder if the bull gored him.

And from pr's an 89 year old 'agricultural labourer found hanging from a tree' - poor old soul probably had no family and no work and thought it preferable to the workhouse.

[rancegal]

   When my mother was a young girl, the family lived next door to an elderly man. He drowned himself in a nearby pond, for fear of having to go to the workhouse (and if you saw it you'd understand why, it's the District Council offices now)

[lancs-lassie]

"Died from wounds in the throat, self inflicted whilst in an unsound state of mind" This awful description of a relatives death was found on  the first Death Cert I had ordered  This poor chap could not get over the death of his toddler son, he appeared to have suffered awful depression and died in the Lancaster lunatic asylum. It was a very revealing early start to my family research.....
Lancs-lassie

[seaweed]

From an official ships logbook entry  which recorded the death of a merchant seaman as suicide.
The narrative read "Stabbed himself to death with 42 knife wounds and then placed the daggers across his chest. He seemed depressed having heard of his fathers death"
If you were attempting suicide on a ship what would you do?
 Cause of Death, Suicide, was not an unusual entry in Merchant ships logbooks. An easy answer to arkward questions.

[Willow 4873]

From an official ships logbook entry  which recorded the death of a merchant seaman as suicide.
The narrative read "Stabbed himself to death with 42 knife wounds and then placed the daggers across his chest. He seemed depressed having heard of his fathers death"
If you were attempting suicide on a ship what would you do?
 Cause of Death, Suicide, was not an unusual entry in Merchant ships logbooks. An easy answer to arkward questions.

And how many of those 42 wounds were in his back? sounds like someone litrally got away with murder on that ship!

Willow x

[Pippakit]

This is from my boyfriend's family, the information was recorded in the church register:

“George Harding, 17, son of Eli and Sarah Harding accidentally killed by his head being jammed between the wheel of a cart, which he was driving, and a gate post.”  Date 1820.

Poor George.

[Gone]

I have death certs for twin girls who died 4 days apart in 1899 from Marasmus Exhaustion. The second child died on the day her sister was buried.
Not so much unusual as very sad.