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Chase County Obituaries
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Brandley, Harry HARRY BRANDLEY
DEATH OF HARRY BRANDLEY
Cottonwood Falls, Kan.—Harry Brandley, a young Chase County farmer, was found dead at his home near Matfield Green, yesterday afternoon. Heart disease was the verdict of Coroner Jacob Hinden, of Strong City, who with Sheriff J.G. Smith and County Attorney C.E. Davis, of this town, held an inquest over the body at the Brandley farm last night.
Mr. Brandley, who was 44 years old, was subject to slight attacks of heart trouble. Sunday morning Mrs. Brandley and their children went to visit relatives at Matfield Green, several miles from the Brandley farm, while Mr. Brandley remained at home to look after some cattle. He was last seen about 11:00 o’clock in the forenoon by Mrs. Ben Carpenter, a neighbor, rounding up a bunch of cattle. About 3:30 o’clock in the afternoon, Ben Carpenter, his nearest neighbor, went to the Brandley place. The horse which Brandley had been riding was tied to a moving [sic] machine in the yard, and on going to the stable, he found Brandley lying face downward in the barn with his hands crossed against his chest. One thumb was in his mouth and had been almost severed at the first joint by his teeth, indicating that the dead man had been in great pain just before his death.
Henry [should be Harry] Brandley, who was a lifelong stockman and farmer of Chase County, was a son of the late Henry Brandley, and was one of the most widely known cattlemen of this section. He leaves a wife and one child. The funeral will be held tomorrow afternoon, and interment will be made in the family burying ground on the Henry Brandley farm.
Emporia Gazette, Emporia, Kansas, Oct 23 1916.
HARRY BRANDLEY DEAD
What is one of the severest shocks to his family, relatives and many friends is the sudden death of Harry Brandley, whose lifeless body was found at his home several miles southeast of Matfield Green about 3:30 o’clock Sunday afternoon. Death was due to heart trouble, according to the verdict of the inquest which was held by Coroner Jacob Hinden, of Strong City, the same evening.
Mr. Brandley’s wife and child were visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Snedegar, in Matfield Green, at the time. Sunday morning, Mr. Brandley was at his farm and he was seen about 11:00 o’clock that morning by Mrs. Ben Carpenter, a nearby neighbor, driving a bunch of cattle. No one saw him again, as far as is known, until Mr. Ben Carpenter went to the Brandley farm about 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon to see Mr. Brandley on business. As Mr. Carpenter approached the barn at the Brandley place, he saw the horse which Harry had been riding that morning while driving cattle tied to the wheel of a mowing machine which stood in the barn yard. Supposing that Harry was about the barn he stepped inside of the barn door and there lying face downward in the passageway between two rows of stalls he found the lifeless body.
Coroner Jacob Hinden, of Strong City, and Sheriff J.B. Smith and County Attorney C.E. Davis, of this city, were immediately notified and hurried to the Brandley farm, arriving there an hour or so later. In the inquest examination, Dr. Hinden found the body lying in the barn as above described. The arms were crossed in front of the chest, Dr. Hinden says, and one thumb was between the teeth. So hard had the teeth been set into it that it was almost severed near the first joint. Dr. Hinden’s theory is that Mr. Brandley had been suddenly stricken by an attack of heart trouble and had fallen to the ground. The fact that his hands were across his chest, he believes shows that he had presed [sic] them to his breast when the pain was so severe. He also believes that this accounts for the fact of the partly severed thumb in Mr. Brandley’s mouth. Stricken by the great pain, the deceased had probably flung up his hand and caught his thumb in his mouth. No other signs could be found and Coroner Hinden’s verdict was that Mr. Brandley had come by his death from a sudden attack of heart trouble.
Folowing [sic] the inquest the body was removed and prepared for burial. The funeral will probably be held Tuesday afternoon although at this time (Monday morning) no definate [sic] arrangements have been made.
Harry Brandley was the son of the late Captain Henry Brandley and wife, who were pioneer residents of the Matfield vicinity. He was born and raised in Chase county where he has resided all his life. He has been engaged in farming and stock-raising and was one of the best known men of the county.
Chase County Leader News, Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, Oct 24 1916.
CORONER’S REPORT
Be it Remembered, that on the 22nd day of October A.D. 1916, notice was received by me, J. Hinden, the Coroner of the County of Chase in the State of Kansas, of the dead body found and being in said County of a person supposed to have been Harry Brandley, who was found dead in his stable about 3:30 pm on above date. I received a call shortly after the above hour to come to investigate the cause of death. I examined the body and could not find any marks or any evidence of foul play or that of any poison which he may have taken.
In talking to witness, they told me he had been worrying about his business and had been drinking some.
He was seen about 11 a.m. by a neighbor driving some cattle in his pasture and then was not seen until found by Ben Carpenter about 3:30 p.m. at his stable and his pony was tied to a mowing machine in his yard.
It was evident Mr. Brandley had tied his horse when he came in from the pasture and went to the barn presumably to feed his horses when he was seized with a pain in his heart and died in hall way between the stalls as he was found face downward and his hands clasped on his breast and his tongue between his teeth.
After thorough investigation I was satisfied he came to his death from disease of the heart superinduced by drink and worry. I did not deem it necessary to hold an inquest.
J. Hinden
Coroner Chase County
Coroner’s Fees:
$8.60
Researcher’s note: The Coroner’s report clearly reads tongue between his teeth, while all of the newspaper articles make much of Harry’s thumb in his mouth.
MISFORTUNE CLOSELY FOLLOWS DEATH
The Harry Brandley home several miles southeast of Matfield Green was burned to the ground Tuesday afternoon while Mrs. Brandley and little son were attending the funeral of her husband at Matfield Green.
It seems that misfortune has followed closely the tragic death of Mr. Brandley and within two days the little home has been obliterated and the family tie broken by death. The funeral of Mr. Brandley who suddenly dropped dead as a result of heart failure at his home last Sunday was held Tuesday afternoon at Matfield Green, and it was while the service was in progress that the home burned.
The origin of the fire is believed to have been from a small oil stove which had been left burning in an upstairs room. There were three people in the home. They were Mr. and Mrs. Ben Carpenter and Mr. J.P. Sharp who had stayed there to put the house in order and prepare supper for Mrs. Brandley and relatives upon the return from the funeral. As the day was cold and the rain fell much of the time the house had been kept closed and those who were in it had remained closely inside.
About 4:30 o’clock smoke and the smell of burning wood aroused those in the house who were suddenly made aware that the house was afire. The blaze had gained so much headway before it was discovered, however, that it was an impossibility to save the building. As soon as the flames burst through the upstairs windows, the strong wind which was blowing from the north fanned the fire into a roaring blaze which consumed the building in a very short space of time.
Mr. Carpenter and Mr. Sharp began carrying things from the house as soon as the fire was discovered in an effort to save everything they could. They dragged the heavy piano out first and by the time this work had been completed they had time to do but little else. Besides the piano the only other articles of furniture saved was a few chairs. Not until they were on their way home from the funeral which had been held in Matfield Green after which interment had been made in the Brandley family burying ground at the old Brandley home southeast of Matfield Green, were the family and relatives of the deceased told of the destruction of the home.
Chase County Leader News, Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, Oct 31 1916
OBITUARY OF HARRY BRANDLEY
The passing on of Harry Brandley Sunday evening removes from Chase county one of its best known cattlemen. He was known by every one and to know him was to love him. His death followed an attack of the heart which took him unawares while working on his ranch. It was not until possibly four hours after his spirit had flown that his body was found lying just inside his barn door.
Harry Brandley was the eldest son and third child born to the union of Captain H. Brandley and Elizabeth Romigh, both of whom are waiting now on the shore of the Great Beyond. He was born on the Brandley ranch near Matfield Green, Kansas, the same that Captain H. Brandley named “Helvetia” in memory of the province in Switzerland where he was born. In the immediate neighborhood the place is now familiarly spoken of as “The Whispering Pines” being given that name by its present owner, Robert C. Brandley because of the many evergreens set by his father’s hand. Harry came into this world on the 15th of September 1874 and passed out on October 22nd, 1916.
Harry did not know the weakness that seeks consolation for sorrows by speaking of it to others; from his earliest childhood he had been wont to struggle through every trouble alone and to let his secret wounds bleed without permitting those around him even to suspect their existence. He discovered early that life is a battle and has experienced the bitterness of defeat, but he was a brave warrior of ceaseless energy, keen foresight, and strong faith which goes to win success and an honorable record.
In November 1909 Harry was married to Audrey E. Snedegar, the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Snedegar. To this union was born one son, Gorman Duri, who is now three years old and was the pride of his father. Besides his wife and son he leaves six sisters, Clara B. Hildebrand, of Stillwater, Oklahoma, Maud Crocker, now of Manhattan, Kansas; Ruby B. Wagoner and Pearl Brandley Harsh, of Matfield Green; Daisy Crocker, of Bazaar and Flo B. Lampe, of Kansas City, Mo.; and one brother Robert C. Brandley, also of Matfield Green and a host of friends to mourn their loss.
Funeral services were preached by Rev. O.C. Bronson, of Holton, Kansas. A beautiful duet was rendered by Miss Florence Newell and Miss Hazel Jones, after which the body was laid to rest in the Brandley cemetery in the shade of “The Whispering Pines”. The pall-bearers were: Henry Giese, of Lebo; Carl Fisher, of Cassody, Charles Davis, of Cottonwood Falls, Halsey Carpenter, Bruce Largent and John Foister, of Matfield Green.
Chase County Leader News, Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, Oct 31 1916.
by your Chase County Host, Lorna Marvin.
Please submit your obituaries and death notices.
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