Source Text:

Name: Joseph Anderson Bourn
Birth Date: 10 Oct 1860
Birth Location:
Death Date: 22 Aug 1937 (aged 76)
Death Location:
Burial: Memphis Cemetery
City: Jefferson Township
County: Scotland County
State: Missouri
Country: USA
Memorial ID: 73783051

Married Alice Ann "Allie" Brown on 22 Feb 1893 in Bloomfield, Davis County, Iowa.
Occupation: Retired Farmer
MO d/c 31942
Joseph Bourn Took Own Life Sunday; Burial TuesdayJos. Bourn committed suicide by hanging himself in the barn at town home in northwest Memphis Sunday morning some time between five-thirty and six o'clock.He got up and told his wife to stay in bed, that he just wanted out go doors for a while. He hadn't been gone long before Mrs. Bourn, becoming apprehensive followed him out and found his fully dressed in the barn, hanging from the loft. She screamed and Homer Harrison and H. E. Willborn, neighbors, went out to see what was the matter.The coroner, Dr. E. E. Symmonds, was out of town, and Justice of the Peace William Gristy was called as acting coroner. He ordered the two witnesses to help take the body down, so they untied the rope from the cross-beam and removed the body to the house. Dr. A. M. Keethler was called and pronounced him dead by strangulation. Since his neck was not broken, Dr. Keethler, at the inquest held Monday afternoon, said that it was probable that after he had climbed to the loft and adjusted the rope, he climbed back down the ladder and stepped off of it near the bottom. He said that there were no bones broken and no marks on the body other than the mark of the rope, which was no larger than a man's little finger. His body was still warm when Judge Gristy, arrived on the scene at 5:45.The coroners jury, John Schlepphorst, Fred Austin, R. I. Ladd, Chas. Swift, C. J. Wiegner and Morey Lovell went out to the house Monday and viewed the body, then returned to Prosecuting Attorney J. B. Smoot's office for the inquest.At the questioning of Judge Gristy the two witnesses, H. E. Willborn and Dr. A. M. Keethler corrorborated [sic] above details, and the jury averred him dead by hanging by his own hand."Uncle Joe," as he was known in this vicinity among the younger citizens, was born the son of William and Polina Bourn, October 10, 1860, at the Bourn homestead, north of Memphis, near the Iowa line, and had lived in this county all his life. He was a prosperous, retired farmer and had become well known in horse circles throughout the country as a saddle horse trader and trainer. Several famous show horses have been handled by him.In Memphis he was very popular with the children, whom he let ride his fine horses, taking pleasure in instructing them in the art of horse back riding. During the winter he took children and adults alike, sleigh-riding and afforded them pleasure. During all seasons, "Uncle Joe" on his horse was a familiar sight to the people in the community.About forty years ago he was married to Allie Brown, of Bloomfield, who survives him, as do two brothers and two sisters: J. T. Bourn, Los Angeles; J. W. Bourn, Delta, Colo.; Nannie Johnson, Seattle, Wash., and Mrs. Porter Briggs, of Memphis.Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 at the home, with the Rev. W. J. Bough officiating. Body bearers were six of his nephews: Earl Brown, Harold Brown, Richard Low, De Witt Low, Clell Huffman and Glen Huffman, while the honorary body bearers were the members of the Bible class of the Methodist church, to which he belonged.Interment was in the Memphis cemetery.The Memphis Reveille, Memphis, Missouri • Thu, Aug 26, 1937Page 1, Column 1

Family Members
Parents
William Bourn 1820–1887
Pauline Jane Tompkins Bourn 1830–1916
Spouse
Alice Ann "Allie" Brown Bourn 1860–1950
(m. 1893)
Siblings
Eliza Catherine Bourn Medley 1846–1916
Ambrose E Bourn 1849–1905
Lucy Frances Bourn Johnson 1854–1937
Mary Susan "Mollie" Bourn Briggs 1862–1940
Charles Albert Bourn 1866–1937