Source Text:

Name: Eliza Catherine Bourn Medley
Birth Date: 23 Sep 1846
Birth Location:
Death Date: 12 May 1916 (aged 69)
Death Location:
Burial: Memphis Cemetery
City: Jefferson Township
County: Scotland County
State: Missouri
Country: USA
Memorial ID: 76522197

MO d/c 20113
SUICIDE BY HANGING
MRS. GEORGE T. MEDLEY TAKES OWN LIFE
Dead Body Found Friday Morning Suspended from a Joist in the Barn

At about seven o'clock last Friday morning the lifeless body of Mrs. George T. Medley was found suspended by a rope which was attached to an upper joist in the barn at their home about a mile north of Memphis. She had risen from her bed some time before, and her husband growing uneasy about her, told Mrs. Teeters, who was staying at the Medley home, to go and look for his wife. It was not long before Mrs. Teter found the body as above described, and ran to the home of A. G. Galbraith near by and asked Mr. and Mrs. Galbraith to come quickly as Mrs. Medley had hanged herself. Mr. and Mrs. Galbraith hurried to the scene of the tragedy. In his testimony before the Coroner's jury Mr. Galbrith said: "I ran down there and saw Mrs. Medley hanging by the neck through the trap door leading to the hay mow. I cut her down and notified the coroner."The county Coroner, John P. Davis being out of town that morning, Col. C. F. Sanders, a Justice of the Peace, was called to the Medley home to conduct the inquiry.Colonel Sanders proceeded to empanel the following jury: Van Ruggles W. M. West, Sr., C. E. Drake, John A. Leeper, C. M. McDaniel and D. W. Payne.Two witnesses were examined, Mrs. Teter and Mr. Galbraith, the former testified that she found the body of deceased hanging in the barn. Mr. Galbraith testified that he ran to the scene and then cut down the body; that he covered her with a blanket and then put in a call for the coroner. Having taken the testimony of these witnesses the jury returned the following verdict. "We the undersigned jurors empaneled the 12th day of May, 1916 at the township of Jefferson, Scotland county, Missouri by C. F. Sanders, a Justice of the Peace in and for said township, acting as Coroner, to diligently inquire, and a true presentment make how and by whom Eliza C. Medley, whose body was found at the barn at her residence in Scotland County, Mo., on the 12th day of May, 1916, came to her death, having viewed the body and heard the evidence do find that the deceased came to her death from suicide by hanging and that no person was present when she died, and that the body found by Mrs. F. Teter, that the deceased died at the same place that the body was found. Given under oaths this 12th day of May 1916.

'In assigning a cause for the rash act of Mrs. Medley no other theory tenable except that the mind of Mrs. Medley was temporarily unbalanced due to ill health. Deceased was splendid woman, a kind neighbor, faithful wife and a loving and indulgent mother. Her untimely and tragic death is universally deplored, and the bereaved husband, sons and daughters and other relatives have the sympathy of all in this hour of the sympathy sorrow and distress.

Mrs. Medley's funeral was held from the family residence one mile north this city Sunday afternoon at of 2:30, the services being conducted by Rev. Father Ganterre, of Kahoka, after which the body was taken to Memphis cemetery and buried.Eliza Bourn was born in Scotland county, Missouri in 1847. She was married to George Medley in the year 1867. To this union five children, all of whom with the husband, survive, namely: Dr. J W.Medley of Prophetstown, Ill., Mrs. Ella Rush of near Hitt; Frank Medley of Stronghearst, Ill., Mrs. Sadie Faucette of Vancouver, B. C., and Mary Medley of Hitt. All but Mrs. Faucette and Miss Mary were present at the funeral.Mrs. Medley had been in ill health for some years past. The family and relatives have the unstinted sympathy of all in their sad bereavement.

The Memphis Democrat, Memphis, Missouri • Thu, May 18, 1916, Page 1, Column 1

Family Members
Parents
William Bourn 1820–1887
Pauline Jane Tompkins Bourn 1830–1916
Spouse
George Thomas Medley 1837–1918
(m. 1867)
Siblings
Ambrose E Bourn 1849–1905
Lucy Frances Bourn Johnson 1854–1937
Joseph Anderson Bourn 1860–1937
Mary Susan "Mollie" Bourn Briggs 1862–1940
Charles Albert Bourn 1866–1937
Children
Ella Medley Rush 1868–1966
Sarah Medley "Sadie" Medley Faucett 1870–1957
Dr John William Medley 1872–1949
Annie A Medley 1873–1874
Mary Frances Medley 1878–1967
Francis Americus "Frank" Medley 1882–1950